


My Pretty Boyfriend

by petitluna



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Slow Burn, Yaoi, keith finds out lance is a weeb, keith has tattoos btw, lance is a weeb, yes I got this idea from Oreimo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:39:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7579999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petitluna/pseuds/petitluna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Keith read the title, <i>My Pretty Boyfriend II,</i> scanning the cover that revealed a 2-D picture of a blushing boy with dark hair, bright blue anime-like eyes, wearing nothing but a....blue apron.</p><p> <i>Is Lance into that sort of thing...??</i></p><p> </p><p>AU where Keith and Lance are college roommates and Keith accidentally discovers Lance is into BL Visual Novels & Eroge.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've seen so many headcanons on Tumblr that Lance is a weeb and I completely love this idea so here you go.  
> Short chapter to start it off, other chapters should be longer after this~
> 
> P.S. Oreimo is dear to my heart you should all watch it

Even though they were roommates, Keith and Lance didn’t talk much. 

Six months into their freshman year of college, and they still didn’t get along. In the beginning, they fought. They argued. They were constantly trying to piss each other off over the most insignificant of things. Progressively, however, they talked to each other less and less. Now, even small talk is considered a special occasion. It seems they both eventually came to the realization that living with one another would be less problematic if they just avoided each other to the best of their ability. The only issue at this point, was that Keith and Lance shared mutual friends. 

Keith was close to Shiro, who, despite being a graduate student, knew Keith through years of shared martial arts classes outside of school. Shiro was amazing at what he did, and Keith had looked up to him since his first day of martial arts back in middle school. Eventually they became good friends and, to Keith, Shiro became the big brother he never had. 

Shiro was also close to Pidge, Lance’s closest friend from high school. Pidge had known Shiro for most of her life, as Pidge’s older brother and Shiro were childhood friends. So, when Shiro discovered his best friend’s younger sister would be attending the same college, he made a great effort to help her through her first semester, and as a result, became closer friends than before. 

And then there was Hunk, who Lance and Pidge became close to after sharing several classes together their first semester at college. By October, all five had formed somewhat of a friendship circle, which became their usual hangout “group.” The only issue, of course, was that Lance and Keith didn’t get along. 

When they were together with their group of friends, it wasn’t so bad. Lance would throw jabs at Keith, but Keith always outsmarted him. In the beginning, everyone was concerned. But after a bit, they learned to just laugh it off. Even Lance and Keith tried hard to laugh it off, to not make it awkward for their shared friends. But behind their closed door, they _almost_ despised each other. Almost, because for some reason, both weren’t entirely sure why. Of course each could endlessly list reasons why they didn’t get along. For Keith, he especially couldn’t stand Lance’s try-too-hard approaches to being funny or cool, his smug cockiness, or his blatant bedroom lies. For Lance, he especially couldn’t stand Keith’s lack of humor, his pretty boy face and cool tattoos, or his over-achievements. Although he would never admit it, Lance’s reasons were typically fueled by jealousy. God was he jealous. While Keith’s sprouted from the mere fact that Lance had an annoying personality. Obnoxious, even. And above anything, Keith couldn’t stand obnoxious personalities. However, neither boy exactly had a reason to hate the other. Call it, rather, a clash of personalities. 

Today, however, was a first. It was a first in that Keith discovered something entirely uncool about Lance. But considering how hard Lance typically tries to pull off the cool-guy act, Keith could only imagine it was going to happen eventually. But this? This was the last thing Keith expected Lance would be into. It was a Wednesday afternoon, around 5pm and Keith had just returned to his dorm room from his bi-weekly martial arts class. He knew Lance had Statistics until 6, leaving him at least an hour to himself, which he always enjoyed thoroughly. Taking advantage of his hour of freedom, Keith switched on his speakers and plugged in his music, Halsey’s “Colors” filling the quiet room. It was one of his favorite music artists as of lately. He thought about how if Lance were here he would complain about Keith’s “hipster crap,” as he likes to call it, and switch to dreadful Top 40 music. Keith felt instantly at ease as the music consumed his ears. But, it was then that he noticed it. 

A bright pink CD case sat on the floor near Lance’s desk on his side of the room. Lance was a fairly messy roommate, (another thing to add to his list of annoyances) but Keith couldn’t help but notice the color which popped out against the deep gray of the carpet floor. From a distance it looked rather girly, which Keith thought to be somewhat strange, considering Lance. As he moved closer to the pink case, he made out the images of hearts and cutesy teddy bears in decoration. As he picked it up and actually got a good look, his mind went blank. His expression was a mixture of confusion, embarrassment, and shock. Keith read the title, _My Pretty Boyfriend II,_ scanning the cover that revealed a 2-D picture of a blushing boy with dark hair, bright blue anime-like eyes, wearing nothing but a....blue apron. 

After realizing what he had picked up, Keith dropped the case like it was on fire. He couldn’t entirely process what he had just looked at or why in the fuck it was in his room, on _Lance’s side of the room._

_This is one of those...things right? Those things that sweaty nerds who can’t get a real date are into? Anime, right? Except this looks like a...game? And why is there a half-naked boy on the cover??_

Keith glanced at the cover once more and noticed the R-18 symbol in the lower corner of the case. He picked it up once more just to be sure. 

_Oh my god is this...porn? But like, anime?? Isn’t this, hentai or whatever it’s called?? Is Lance into that sort of thing?? Wait, is Lance...gay??! Jesus chri-_

Before Keith could complete his thought, the door opened, revealing a grinning Lance, textbooks in arm. 

“Class was caaaanceeeled,” Lance sang as he practically danced into the room. “God that makes my day just soo much bet-”

Lance’s eyes met Keith’s and quickly switched to the brightly colored case in his hand. 

“W-what are you…” Lance’s question trailed off and the joyful look on his face immediately disappeared as horror took over, followed by a deep red flush of his cheeks and the tips of his perky ears. “Oh my god.”

“Lance, I was just, I mean, it was just laying there and, I mean, is this yours??” Keith didn’t know how else to word his question. He felt entirely uncomfortable at the awkwardness of the situation. He had no idea how to react to his discovery, and he definitely hadn’t enough time to prepare considering Lance shouldn’t have been back for another hour. In all honesty he was probably going to just leave it where it was and act as if he hadn’t seen what he had seen. As much as he enjoyed calling out Lance on his bullshit, this was a situation he wasn’t sure he wanted to call out. 

“O-of course it’s not mine, jerk!” And just like that Lance’s horrified and embarrassed expression turned to rage as he snatched the pink case out of Keith’s hands. “This is Hunk’s, he must’ve left it here last time he was over. I would never be into this sort of thing, obviously.” Lance prayed his lie was good enough to fool Keith, considering Hunk was a proud nerd who regularly talked about the latest and greatest anime releases on Netflix. 

Keith wasn’t sure what to believe, but he felt it made much more sense that it belonged to Hunk. But still, he couldn’t ignore the title or the image of the blue apron boy on the cover. Was Hunk into that sort of thing?

“Alright, um, then make sure you return it to him,” Keith responded, still feeling awkward about the whole situation. 

“Duh.” Lance stuffed the case into his backpack and went back towards the door. “Getting some dinner, uh, see you later.” 

 

\---

 

Keith fell asleep early as usual, especially exhausted from his martial arts training that day. It was almost midnight when Lance entered the room, back from his late-night study session with Pidge. Lance typically didn’t come back until late, even on school nights, to which Keith felt lucky for being a heavy sleeper. 

Lance flicked on the light switch next to his bed, careful not to make too much noise as Keith slept. Despite how much the two didn’t get along, they had mutual respect for each other as far as living mates. Then he switched on his laptop, taking out the bright pink case that had caused a stir earlier. It wasn’t Hunk’s. It was Lance’s. And Lance would be doomed to hell if Keith ever found that out. 

Lance opened the case, popped the CD into his laptop, and sprawled out across his twin-sized bed. He propped his head up using his elbows, resting his laptop in front of him at the foot of the bed. Lance plugged in his earphones and within moments the familiar pink welcome screen menu appeared before him. He browsed through his saved game files until he found his last mark. He hadn’t been able to play since the weekend, having been caught up in writing the Shakespeare essay he’d procrastinated on almost too much. He clicked on his save file and the much-too-adorable smiling image of Jiro, the game’s protagonist, filled his computer screen. 

_“Lance-senpai, what do you want to do today?”_

A small menu screen revealing different locations popped up:

Movie Theater  
The Cafe  
The Beach  
Bookstore  
The Mall 

Lance clicked on the _Movie Theater_ link, which brought him to a new screen. 

_“I would love to see a movie with Lance-senpai~! Which kind of movie should we see? Though, if it is a scary movie I might need you to sit extra close to me~”_

Lance giggled. He couldn’t help it. This was his weakness. As cool as he tried to come off in real life, Lance had a complete weakness for anything adorable, which he refused to reveal to anyone. Games like these were his ultimate escape. Lance chose the scary movie option that appeared on his screen beneath the _Romance_ and _Comedy_ options. 

_“Ehh? I’m kind of afraid to watch this...But as long as Lance-senpai is close next to me I think I will be okay~”_

Before Lance could continue with his 2-D date, he heard a muffled sound escape Keith on the opposite end of the room. It was a rare occasion, but there were times Keith woke up in the night to use the restroom or grab a drink of water, which is exactly what he did. Keith sat up from his bed, groggily wiping away at his eyes before getting up to walk toward the front door. At the first sound of Keith’s awaking, Lance had stealthily and quickly shut his laptop, turning over and pretending to snore. He waited for the door to open and for Keith to leave to the restroom located at the opposite end of the dormitory hall, but instead there was silence. He was certain he had heard Keith wake up and get out of his bed, so why hadn’t he left? Lance carefully turned over to face Keith’s side of the room and, to his confusion, found Keith standing in place, staring wide-eyed. 

_What the hell is he looking at?_

Lance followed the direction of Keith’s eyes, which were, to his dismay, focused once again on the bright pink case that this time sat beside Lance’s feet at the head of his bed. 

_Oh God, fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. There’s no fucking way I can talk myself out of this one. God damnit, how could I be so God damn careless??_

Still, Lance tried his very best to not to address the very large elephant in the room. 

“Keith! You’re awake! What’s up? Uhh, bad dream perhaps?” Lance’s attempt at nonchalance failed completely. 

“You lied,” Keith said bluntly, but not accusingly. “That game is totally yours, isn’t it?” 

Lance, at this point, felt very defeated. Embarrassingly so, especially in front of Keith. The Keith that he was so jealous of. The Keith that he secretly (not so secretly) wanted so badly to impress. Lance scratched at the back of his neck, a nervous tendency of his, and released the breath he had unawaringly been holding in. 

“Yeah...It’s actually mine.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith doesn't know how to pronounce 'yaoi'
> 
>  
> 
> decided i'll be updating on Mondays & Fridays, so look forward to new chapters those days<3  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dialogue heavy chapter, setting up for the good shit that's going to happen soon. hope you enjoy~

A very uncomfortably long silence passed before Keith responded to Lance’s confession, most likely because he didn’t know exactly _how_ to respond. 

“So...you like this sort of thing?”

“N-no, I mean, sorta? I mean...yeah...a little bit…” Lance cringed in anticipation for Keith’s reaction. He knew what would come next and he just wanted to get the humiliation over with. How could he ever look Keith in the eyes again? This would be his ultimate end. The end of Lance. 

“Okay.”

Wait, what?

“Huh?”

“I said okay,” Keith repeated, continuing to make his way out of the room and into the dormitory’s hallway. 

What just happened? Lance sat in disbelief for a good minute, trying to process what had just happened. Was that all Keith was going to say? Was that seriously his only reaction? This would have been the perfect weapon for Keith to use against him. He had been bracing himself for the laughter, the humility, and the horror that would come with Keith’s discovery. Except, it never came. None of it. 

In Keith’s mind, he wasn’t sure if he was just too tired to poke fun at Lance’s hobby or if he just didn’t know what to do. Was it the perfect thing to hold against Lance from now on? Of course. But something in Keith had almost expected it. He knew Lance to be the type of guy who tries too hard to be cool because he really in’t. He expected Lance to be the type to hide some embarrassing hobby in fear of appearing uncool. But did he expect it would come in the form of an R-18 anime-style game featuring cute boys in aprons? No. No, he didn’t. It truly was the farthest thing he would have expected of Lance. Perhaps Keith felt so shocked, he didn’t even know how to approach the matter. Well, this was a first. He didn’t know how to make fun of Lance over something like this. It was too embarrassing. Maybe it’d be better for both of them, Keith thought, if he just pushed this new information aside. 

Keith took a deep breath before opening the door and re-entering his dorm room. Not knowing what else to say to Lance, he walked straight to bed and shut off his lamp switch. He made sure to turn over on his side so that he could face the wall as he fell back asleep, avoiding Lance who had been sitting up on his bed with a panicked look since Keith left the room. 

“That’s it?” Lance’s question was to be expected, but Keith decided he didn’t want to discuss the night’s events. A long moment of silence passed and Lance spoke again. 

“Dude, just say something.”

“What do you want me to say?” Keith responded slightly irritated, not understanding why Lance wanted to push the matter further. He switched his lamp on and sat up to face Lance from his side of the room. 

“I-I don’t know...I just thought...dude I don’t know, it’s just embarrassing, okay? And I thought you would...have something to say about it maybe.” Lance was looking down as he spoke, unable to face Keith. The red creeping up on his face was obvious even in the dimly lit room. 

“You mean, you thought I would make fun of you.” 

“Something like that,” Lance admitted, fiddling nervously with his hands. 

Keith wasn’t sure what to say. He had never seen Lance so vulnerable, admitting his embarassment up front. Typically Lance was so stubborn, he would never admit defeat, especially to Keith. But here he was, admitting his embarrassment with a red face and stuttered words in front of Keith, the last guy Lance would ever want to appear vulnerable in front of. 

“Well, it’s fine.” Keith would never admit that Lance looked the slightest bit cute when he was embarrassed. “I mean, different people have different hobbies and interests, right? So, uh, I don’t want to make fun of someone for what makes them happy.” 

This time Keith looked away, fairly certain his own face was beginning to heat up. Lance’s head lifted at Keith’s words, a combination of shock and confusion evident on his face. It took him a few moments to process Keith’s words. Had he heard him correctly? Did Keith actually say something _nice_ to him? 

“Um, are you still half asleep or something?”

“What? No, I’m awake and I’m telling you I don’t care about your, uh...hobby.” 

A few more moments of silence passed before Lance posed his next question. 

“Do you think it’s strange…? That...I’m strange?” He asked, his voice not much more than a whisper. Keith briefly contemplated how to respond to Lance. _Of course I think it’s strange. But…_ He could hear the vulnerability in Lance’s voice, and Keith opted for an easy way out. 

“Not really.” Keith watched Lance’s face light up and the tension melt away at his words. 

“Really? Like seriously?” 

“I mean, it’s surprising, but it doesn’t mean there’s like, something wrong with you…” Keith was trying his best to sound nice, which was a first when it came to Lance. 

“Wow...you know...I was freaking out pretty hardcore before, because, I mean, I thought you’d definitely make fun of me for sure. I was certain you would never let me live down something like this,” Lance admitted. 

“Do the others know that you’re into this, uh, kinda stuff?” Keith wasn’t sure what else to say. He realized this was the longest conversation the two of them had ever had without arguing, and talking to Lance felt somewhat foreign to him. 

“Hell no. Are you kidding me? I’m sure they’d definitely judge me, which is probably worse than you judging me because they’re my friends.” Keith tried not to feel offended by that last part. Even though he knew Lance and him weren’t exactly friends, it still stung a bit. 

“Hmm, I guess I feel special now, knowing Lance’s deepest and darkest secret,” Keith teased. He waited for Lance to tell him to shut up, but instead, he laughed. Lance genuinely laughed. 

“Oh God. I don’t know how I feel about that.” Lance continued to laugh, and soon Keith joined him in laughter. What had the night turned into? Keith thought for a moment he must be dreaming. Getting along and laughing, with Lance? Keith was certain he had to be dreaming. 

 

\---

 

The next morning, Keith woke up to a pair of dark blue eyes, startling the hell out of him. 

“AHH!!” Keith and Lance both yelped, Keith jumping back from the sudden appearance of Lance’s face. 

“Why the fuck are you watching me while I sleep?!”

“I wasn’t!!” Lance defensively held his hands up as he tried to explain. “I was just debating whether to wake you up or not and you ended up waking up before I could decide!”

“Well thanks for scaring the crap out of me!” Keith glanced at the time on his watch. “It’s not even seven yet! I didn’t even know it was possible for you to be up this early!”

“I know, I know, sorry. It’s just that, um, I couldn’t sleep and I had this idea that I wanted to ask you about and I know you like to wake up early so I…I thought we could talk more about what happened last night?” 

Conversation from the night before suddenly filled Keith’s mind and he remembered what he hoped was just a dream. Hadn’t they talked it through already? What more did Lance want to talk about?

“What’s left to talk about?” 

“Okay, just hear me out, alright? This is going to sound weird, probably, actually definitely, but, well I write for this blog, a pretty popular nerd blog where I do a lot of anime and game reviews. Well every month I have this thing where I include a review and short interview from someone else, like a guest review, just to make the blog more well-rounded, ya know? And so I’ve been-”

“What exactly does this have to do with me?” Keith cut him off, beginning to realize where the conversation was headed, and he wished it wouldn’t. 

“Just let me finish! So, like, I’ve been really wanting to get a guest review for my favorite visual novel game series for the longest time, y’know the one you discovered last night, but I never knew who to ask, and then I realized now since you know my secret, I could just ask you! Like, you could play the game and I thought it’d be especially interesting to get the perspective of someone who’s never even played a game like that, and I-”

“No. Absolutely not.” Keith knew it. He should have never told Lance his hobby was okay. But he did, and now he was going to pay. 

“Dude, it’s just one little game. And a small review! That’s all I ask! It would be the perfect addition to my blog.” Lance never thought he’d ever be asking Keith for a favor, but he figured he had nothing to lose. He had already learned perhaps Lance’s most embarrassing secret, so it was worth a shot to ask, right? 

“I’m not into that stuff, sorry. Ask someone else, like Hunk or someone. Isn’t he into anime or whatever?”

“I could NEVER ask Hunk because first of all, he can never find out about this part of my hobby, because second of all, Hunk, like most guys, isn’t into yaoi. It’s practically unheard of!”

“Yao-what?”

“Yaoi. It’s, uh, you know...guy on guy type stuff. You saw the cover!” Lance’s ears were beginning to turn red. He wasn’t exactly used to talking about these things to anyone aloud. 

“Uh...I’ve never watched anime in my life and now you want me to play some gay porn game?”

“It’s not porn!!”

“Sure, because the R-18 symbol at the corner of the game cover has nothing to do with the fact that there’s adult content, right? The hearts and teddy bears must mean it’s kid-friendly huh?”

“Okay, smart-ass. I mean, yes technically there is adult content, but there’s so much more to it! The plot and character development is fantastic! And the art is breathtaking and there are so many beautiful moments throughout the story.” Keith had never seen Lance speak so passionately about really anything before. He realized Lance was serious about this favor, but the thought of playing such a game made Keith cringe so hard. 

“I get it...but I really can’t. I’ll give it an awful review no matter what, guaranteed.”

“What if I said I guarantee that you’ll enjoy it no matter what?” Lance smirked and something in his face told Keith he wasn’t kidding. 

“Damn, confident as usual I see.” 

“I mean it.”

“And if you’re wrong?”

“If I’m wrong then you can tell the others my secret.” Lance’s confidence hadn’t faltered one bit. Suddenly Keith’s interest had been piqued. If anything, the one thing Keith admittedly had in common with Lance was that neither of them could say no to a challenge. 

“I wasn’t going to tell them anyways, but if you’re that willing to prove me wrong then I guess I have no choice.” 

“Deal then? And don’t worry about the adult stuff, I can loan you the _clean_ version. I understand you’re a virgin,” Lance teased in his signature smart-ass tone. Keith pretended to ignore that last statement and reached his hand out to shake on it. 

“Deal. And don’t bother with that kid-friendly crap. I can handle any version you want to throw at me.” 

 

\---

 

Keith couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Boxes upon boxes filled with anime DVDs and visual novel games that Lance had always kept under his bed and in his closet were now stacked upon each other in the middle of their dorm room. After their deal had been made final, Lance excitedly took out and searched through all of his possessions for the game that Keith would be borrowing. 

“Ahah! Here’s it is!” From the largest box Lance pulled out a purple game case with the title, _My Pretty Boyfriend_ in pink lettering, featuring the same black haired, blue eyed boy from the sequel but wearing a frilly maid outfit instead of an apron. The signature hearts and teddy bears decorated the frame of the cover. Keith immediately started having regrets over what he had agreed to. 

“So, this is the first game of the series, the one which you’ll be playing and reviewing. I’ll help you get started though since you haven’t played a game like this before.” As Lance talked, all Keith could think about was why the hell there were five versions of the exact same game in that box. 

“Aren’t those all the same game?”

“Oh, you mean these?” Lance held up the other copies of the game and explained to Keith. “Well, this one right here, the one you’ll be playing, is the English version, but without censoring. So it’s basically the original, but English translated. Because, you see, this version right here is the American release, but the American version is a lot more censored, even though it’s still the adult version. And this one is the original Japanese version, and this is the all ages Japanese version. Oh! And this one over here is the limited edition version that came out in Japan on the game’s two year anniversary, which came with an official art booklet and exclusive poster. There were only 250 limited edition versions available, can you believe it?!” 

Keith felt his head spin. It was as if Lance was speaking a foreign language. This wasn’t the Lance he knew. This was definitely not the smug asshole who cared more than anything about his cool reputation. No, this guy was the farthest thing from that. 

“And this over here, this is my favorite anime series. I have about three different copies of each season. I know you’re not into anime, but this right here is some good shit. You see, it’s deceiving, but in the best way possible. The characters look cute and colorful and you’d totally expect it to be just like your average magical girl series, but this show is dark and seriously fucked up.”

“Okay, I have no idea what you are talking about or why you have so much of this crap or how you can even afford all of it? But I-”

“I am a collector, obviously! And well, as a blog writer I do get paid for my work.” Lance stated proudly. “And I get sent free games and dvds all the time in exchange for my reviews. Quite the sweet deal.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Uh, duh. Why else would I care so much about your contribution piece to my blog? The higher the views, the better the pay, and your review is going to be a hit on my blog.”

“I don’t really get why my review is so special.” Keith picked up the DVD case Lance had been talking about, curious yet unsure as to why someone would be interested in these so-called magical girls featured on the cover. 

“Well, It's like I said. It's rare to find guys who are into this kind of thing. Girls love it for some reason, probably the same reason I like it. It’s normal for girls to talk and gush over this stuff, but if I were to come out and say I like it, I’m sure other guys would just dismiss me as some gross homo. So, if I were to get a review from another guy for this type of game, it would be unique, you know? It’s like, guys can like this stuff too, just as much as girls can or anyone else for that matter...gay, straight, whatever.”

“Why do you like these games, then?” Keith honestly didn’t know the reason for Lance’s unique hobby, and found himself genuinely wanting to know. 

“It’s just really...cute,” Lance responded simply. 

“That’s...it?” 

“It’s a bit hard to explain but, the main character is so, so cute. Just look at him! It’s seriously hard to resist.” Lance held up the game case displaying the boy in the maid costume and handed it to Keith. “Like, when you look at this, don’t you just want to hug him and never let go?” A goofy smile grew on Lance's face and Keith couldn't decide whether he found it slightly adorable or annoying. 

“Um, no.” If Keith was confused before about Lance’s hobby, now he was completely and utterly lost. 

“I don’t expect you to understand, but once you start playing you’ll see. The story and the characters just sort of suck you in before you know it.” Lance continued looking through his piles of games and DVDs, putting aside certain ones which Keith assumed he’d be using later. Now that his big secret was out, he figured Lance wouldn’t be holding back from now on. 

“But, there’s um, sexual content, so...what about that?” To Keith’s slight disappointment, Lance didn’t turn into a blushing mess trying to answer his question. 

“Well, think of it like a romance novel or film. You’re pretty much rooting for the main character to get together with the love interest right? And sometimes along the way or at the end they do get together, and when they do, sometimes they bang. Same thing, ya know? Except you’re the protagonist in the game.”

Keith sighed. Getting a straight answer from Lance was never an easy thing. 

“That’s not what I’m asking. I get the romance aspect of it. But, why...uh, yowa?”

“Yowa?”

“Guy on guy, like you said!” 

“It’s yaoi, Keith. YOW-EE.”

“Oh my God.” Once more, Keith was regretting his decision to go through with this. 

“I don’t know. I just...think it’s cute, okay? I don’t know how else to explain it. Straight girls like it, so why can’t a straight guy like me?” 

“Right...how could I forget about all the girls you’ve been with?” Keith rolled his eyes, fairly certain that the majority of Lance’s girl “stories” were bullshit. 

“Whatever, virgin,” Lance retorted, flipping him off in the process. He snatched the game case from the floor and proceeded to take out his laptop. “Come on, let’s play.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the boys take a break from their game and go to Shiro's b-day party  
> and there's a jacuzzi 
> 
>  
> 
> /btw sorry for the late update. I was called in to work a lot these past few days boo forgive me ;-;

Keith had been playing _My Pretty Boyfriend_ for three days now, and nothing was going accordingly. Every choice he made in the game either resulted in a scolding from Lance, a bad ending, or both. 

_“Dude, are you just an asshole 24/7? Why would you pick that option?!”_

_“I don’t know, the other ones don’t seem natural!’_

_“So instead you choose to ignore poor Jiro-chan and let him walk home alone in the rain?? You should’ve chosen the ‘hold his hand’ option!”_

_“Yeah, like that doesn’t come off as creepy! I’m his manager!!”_

_“Oh my God, you are hopeless.”_

Keith just couldn’t figure this game out. He tried to pick choices that he would choose in real life, but he was beginning to learn that this strategy didn’t always work out in the visual novel world. As a result, he hadn’t been able to yet pass the first chapter of the game. It was the weekend now, and Keith had had enough of Lance’s game. He needed a break, desperately, before he drove himself crazy trying to get past the initial chapter without getting a bad end. Good thing he had Shiro’s birthday party to look forward to that night. 

“What do you think, silver or black?” Lance held up two nice-looking watches that he was contemplating between for Shiro’s birthday present. 

“Hmm...black.” 

“Yeah, that’s what I was leaning towards,” Lance agreed. 

Lance found his relationship with Keith very different from usual as of lately. The two of them were actually getting along at times, but under the strangest of circumstances. Lance hadn’t imagined an R-18 game, of all things, would bring the two of them together the way it had the past few days. Luckily, he thought to himself, the beginning chapter of the game was free of R-18 rated things, the only part he figured he’d help Keith get through considering it was his first time. Keith still managed to piss him off plenty as they played, but, in a way, they were closer than usual, and the silence between them had increasingly lessened. 

“Alright, wrapped up and ready to go. You ready?” 

Lance had just finished wrapping Shiro’s present and was giving himself a last minute look-over in his closet mirror. He didn’t typically put much effort into his looks, as evident in his usual bed head and ripped jeans, but tonight was an excuse for him to put his good looks to use. He wore black denim skinny jeans (with no rips), a casual gray button up, paired with a dark brown vest. The top of his shirt was unbuttoned enough to reveal the dip where his collar bones meet. 

“Yeah, hold on, just need to-” After having been focused on wrapping Shiro’s present the past twenty minutes (which needed to look perfect), Keith finally glanced up and was admittedly shocked by what he saw. 

“You, uh...new outfit?” 

“Nah, it’s just that I usually don’t get a chance to dress up cool.” Lance flashed a grin that made Keith just want to die. He was not going to admit that Lance actually looked _very_ attractive, nor that his ass looked nicer than usual. He’d probably rather die. 

“Uh, well, it looks nice...I haven’t had a chance to change yet, give me a couple minutes.” 

Keith quickly rummaged through his closet, and changed into some khaki skinny pants, a maroon button up, and a thin black cardigan sweater. His sleeves were rolled up at the elbows, enough to reveal the lower portion of the tattoos on his right arm. He pulled the longer parts of his messy hair back into a small ponytail, strands of black hanging on each side his face. 

“Alright, let’s go. I told Pidge and Hunk we’d meet them in the common room on the first floor.” 

After Keith had emerged from behind his closet Lance grabbed his gift and was soon out the door. Even though he hadn’t really expected any sort of reaction or compliment from Lance, Keith tried to ignore the tinge of disappointment that ran through him. 

 

\---

 

The party was being held at Shiro’s apartment, which was luckily a five minute walk from campus. It was a nice apartment, and fairly spacious for what it was worth. Shiro’s parties typically only consisted of a few of his close grad school buddies and then Keith, Lance, Pidge, and Hunk. Shiro preferred small hangouts, where he could just sit back, relax, hang out with his close friends, and maybe play some drinking games to keep everyone entertained. 

“Pour me a shot,” Pidge commanded Lance, who had just grabbed a beer for himself from the kitchen fridge. 

“Woah, Pidge wants to drink?? Well that’s certainly a first, my friend.” Lance reached for the nearest clean shot glass on the counter. “What’s gotten into you?”

“It’s a party, isn’t it?” The short auburn haired girl crossed her arms. 

She knew she wasn’t in the best of moods, but the last thing she wanted to do was talk about it. She was never very good at talking about her own personal problems, even with Lance who she’d known since high school. 

“C’mon Pidge, you can tell me anything. What’s up?” Lance realized something had been bothering her, considering her slight attitude and her sudden want to drink, which really was a rare occassion. It just wasn’t like her. 

“Lance, have you ever actually been in love?” 

Lance was definitely caught off guard by Pidge’s direct question. She had never dated or talked about dating in high school, so he had no idea where she was coming from with this. 

“I mean, sure I’ve been with ladies and all, but love? I don’t know…”

Lance was lying and he knew it. He had never been in love. Not even close to it. He’d never even had a real girlfriend, but he’d die before admitting that to everyone. 

“Maybe try asking Shiro? He’s the only one of us currently with a girlfriend.”

“Yeah...thanks.” 

Wishing she hadn’t brought up the topic to begin with, Pidge took the bottle of Vodka sitting out and poured the shot she was impatiently waiting on and walked over to join Hunk who was currently playing Smash Bros. on the television. 

Keith watched as Shiro and a couple of his grad school friends played another round of beer pong. Shiro’s new girlfriend, Allura, played along on Shiro’s team, and was dominating at the game. Lance sipped from his beer and joined Keith in watching them play.

“Damn, Shiro’s so lucky.” 

“What do you mean?” Keith asked, taking a sip from his vodka punch, which luckily didn’t taste too strong. Keith didn’t drink very much, but when he did it was in the form of fruity drinks to conceal the flavor of alcohol. Unfortunately, those types of drinks tended to be the most dangerous. His cheeks had already turned a glowing pink. 

“His new girlfriend, Allura. Like, damn.” Lance watched with envy as Shiro and Allura played. In his eyes, they looked like the perfect couple. Two gorgeous people. Together. Lance sighed. 

“Yeah, I guess she’s attractive,” Keith added. 

He hadn’t really given the new couple much thought. He had known Shiro for a long time, and had known Shiro to be quite popular with girls. He pretty much always had a new girlfriend, so he didn’t consider Allura to be anything special. 

“You guess? Dude, she looks like a supermodel or something. Like, how could a guy not find her attractive? And she’s totally kicking all these guys’ asses at beer pong! Dream girl, to be honest.” 

“Not my type, to be honest,” Keith mocked Lance’s words, earning him an annoyed look. Lance crossed his arms, beer still in hand. 

“Umm okay, picky. Then what is your type?”

“Men.” 

“Dude, I’m being serious.”

“And so am I,” Keith merely responded with a straight face. He proceeded to get up out of his seat to pour himself another mixed drink. He chuckled to himself over the shocked look that was now present on Lance’s face. 

“Wait a minute...Keith is gay?!” Lance questioned aloud, loud enough for everyone else in the room to hear. Fortunately, it wasn’t exactly something Keith had been trying to hide. 

“Yeah, you didn’t know?” Shiro laughed at Lance’s oblivion. 

“Sorry Lance, but this is old news,” Hunk added, full attention to the intense Smash Bros. battle he was currently fighting against Pidge. 

“Dude, why didn’t you tell me??” Lance stood up to approach Keith, who was leaning casually against the kitchen counter, enjoying his punch and the confused state of Lance’s face. 

“Was I supposed to? It’s not like we’re really friends, remember?” 

“We are totally friends! I mean, I thought we were now!” Lance lowered his voice. “We totally bonded these past few days!” 

“Yeah, if you consider constantly yelling at me over a game bonding, then sure.”

“It’s not my fault you suck at making decisions! And shut up, you’re being too loud.” Lance glanced around at everyone else in the room, hoping nobody could hear their conversation. “It’s supposed to stay a secret, remember?”

“Dude, chill. You’re the one who’s overreacting here.” 

Lance returned to the fridge and opened his third beer of the night. The buzz he felt was strengthening with each sip he took. He thought about Keith. He thought about his new discovery. He realized there were many things he didn’t know about Keith. They had lived together almost six months, and Lance barely knew a thing about his own roommate. 

“Hey let’s do cake before it gets too late!” Allura announced upon finishing a game of beer pong, her third win of the night. She had baked Shiro’s favorite: strawberry cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting. Hunk also brought a tray of cupcakes, featuring a variety of chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet. 

Allura excitedly set up the candles on the cake, 26 individual candles of different colors. She called everyone into the kitchen, where everyone crowded around a brightly lit cake. Together they sang to Shiro, who seemed slightly embarrassed at the full attention. 

_“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..  
Happy birthday dear Shiroooo, happy birthday to you…” _

“Alright, make a wish!” Hunk shouted out. 

“I’ve never seen so many candles stuffed onto a single cake before,” Shiro laughed, proceeding to blow out the melting candles before him. 

“Well, enjoy it because you’ll only get more candles from now on,” Allura teased, planting a kiss on Shiro’s cheek. Hunk began cutting the cake and handing out slices to everyone. 

“Ugh, this looks so good but I‘m not really in the mood for cake,” Lance said to Keith, accepting a slice. “My stomach is full of beer.”

“Then why’d you take it?”

“Because! I refuse to waste this!” Lance lowered his voice to a whisper. “It’s Allura’s cake! An _angel_ made this.”

Keith wasn’t sure what had gotten into him, but everytime Lance opened his mouth about Allura, it was annoying. Maybe it was just because Lance was annoying anyways. And Keith had been drinking. Maybe that was why. 

“Then here, have mine too.” Keith shoved his untouched cake into Lance’s face, smearing him in brown frosting and pink cake bits. For a moment, nobody spoke, not even Lance. 

Lance wasn’t sure whether his initial feeling was one of shock or anger, or perhaps both. All he knew was that Keith, this asshole, had just mashed a piece of cake into his face. A perfectly good piece of cake, made by the perfectly good Allura. 

But before Lance could react, Pidge had taken the opportunity, making Shiro the next victim. 

“Pidge!” Shiro looked wide-eyed at the small framed girl, a guilty smile forming on her face. 

“Happy birthday?” Before Pidge could escape, Shiro had gotten her back, her glasses now covered in a thick layer of chocolate frosting. That’s when the cake war broke out.

What had initially seemed like a hostile situation quickly turned into a hilarious and sticky mess. Lance’s anger had completely diminished and he couldn’t help but laugh at the turn of events. Keith too, who began the fight out of irritability, was strangely enjoying himself with his friends. Allura, who probably should have been most upset for the destruction of her hard work, was having a great time, managing to get a good portion of Shiro’s hair frosted when he wasn’t looking. 

“Oh my God I love you guys,” Hunk announced through his laughter. 

“You guys are insane,” Shiro said with a smile. “But I love you guys too.”

 

\---

 

It took about a half hour to clean up the mess that came after the cake fight. By the time the last smudge of frosting had been wiped, it was near ten o’ clock. 

“So, I’m feeling sticky as hell, anyone down for a swim?” Shiro suggested. 

The community pool at Shiro’s apartment complex stayed open 24 hours, and included a decent sized jacuzzi. Despite the cold winter temperature, the pool stayed heated throughout the season, making it one of the great luxuries of the complex. 

Once they had arrived, everyone headed straight for the heat of the jacuzzi. Shiro’s friend, Corey, carried down a cooler of drinks, and Pidge brought her portable music speakers. If they played the music low enough, they wouldn’t get in too much trouble. Besides, silent hours didn’t start until eleven. 

“How about a game?” Lance suggested once everyone was situated in the hot tub. 

“What kind of game?” Pidge pouted, toying with the strap of her bathing suit top, which was two sizes too big for her.

Luckily, Allura had a couple swimsuits she had left behind at Shiro’s house. On the contrary, the guys were only left with whatever they had beneath their jeans. Pidge didn’t pay much mind to it, though. She had seen Lance in his underwear too many times to count. There was one person, however, to whom she did mind, and she tried very hard to keep the blush from her cheeks. 

“Hmm..truth or dare?” Allura suggested. 

“What is this, a girl’s slumber party?” Pidge mocked. Shiro glanced at Pidge, an eyebrow raised. “I’m kidding. We can totally play truth or dare.” Pidge tried to sound excited. 

“How about ten fingers?” Hunk proposed, also noticing the slightly awkward tension. 

“Fine,” Pidge agreed. 

“What’s that?” Keith asked, taking a sip from his fruity beverage. 

“Seriously?” Lance asked out of disbelief. “You’ve really never played ten fingers?”

“If I had, I wouldn’t have asked, smart ass.” Keith retorted. 

“Basically, everyone starts with both hands, hence the ten fingers. You hold them up and each person takes turns saying one thing that they’ve never done before. The people who have done it put one finger down and, in this case, take a drink. Once all your fingers are gone, you’re out. Last person left wins,” Pidge explained. “And no like, attacking or singling out someone with stuff you definitely know they have done.”

“Alright, sounds simple enough,” Keith admitted. “I’m in.” 

Everyone agreed to the game and grabbed drinks to play along with. Hunk took the first turn. 

“I have never gotten an A in a math class,” Hunk confessed. 

“Really? Are you trying to get me out?” Pidge put down a finger and took a drink from her plastic cup, followed by Keith, Allura, and Shiro. 

“Alright, time to make this more interesting,” Lance said with a mischievous undertone. It was his turn. 

“I have never had sex in public,” Lance announced. “That includes cars.”

Shiro, Corey, and a blushing Allura put down a finger and took a sip from their drinks. 

“Don’t you mean, ‘I have never had sex, period?’” Pidge ruthlessly teased Lance. Pidge was typically a very blunt person, but when she drank, she was outright brutal. Not to mention, she was already in a sour mood. 

“I’ve totally had sex,” Lance defended himself. “I’m 19 years old, okay? Like, if you haven’t done it at this point, that’s just sad.” Of course, however, that was a complete lie. 

“Then,” Keith interrupted. “Am I sad?”

“Huh?” Lance turned his focus over to Keith, who stared back at him humorlessly. 

“I’ve never had sex,” Keith stated. “Go ahead, put a finger down.” 

Lance was speechless for a moment. He couldn’t believe how easy it was for Keith to admit something that he had been trying so hard to hide. He couldn’t admit to everyone that he was a virgin. It was too embarrassing, he thought. But Keith? How could he admit something like that and still look cool doing so?

“Whatever,” Lance grumbled, putting a finger down. He had already dug himself a hole this deep, there was no way he was going to pull out of it now, despite the bit of guilt he felt. 

 

\---

 

The game continued until Keith and Lance happened to be the last two left, both with one finger up. Pidge had finally been knocked out by the “I have never had braces” confession from Keith, to which Lance also ended up putting a finger down. At this point everyone was sitting on the ledge of the jacuzzi, feet soaking up the hot water. 

“Guess this is it.” Lance thought about what to confess for his perhaps final turn.

He didn’t want to single Keith out and pick something he knew he’d win over, but at the same time he wanted so badly, like always, to beat Keith at something. But still, Keith never once brought up or hinted at Lance’s embarrassing secret hobby. Lance was extremely grateful, especially in a game where Keith could have totally used it against him. But still...Lance was drunk. And he very desperately wanted to win. Nothing else mattered at this point. 

“I have never kissed a boy.” Lance looked away, aware that he had played dirty and was probably about to be punched or something, but it didn’t matter. He beat Keith. 

“That’s false,” Keith retaliated. 

Before Lance could ask what the hell he meant by that, his lips were pressed against Keith’s. Keith’s lips were incredibly soft, but the kiss itself was hard and quick. Keith tasted like vodka and strawberries, and his lips were wet.. from his drink, the moisture of the jacuzzi, or the lick of his lips, he couldn’t tell. All he knew was that Keith was kissing him, right now, in front of everyone, and he was frozen. And then it was over. 

Keith pulled back, until the two of them were barely a breath apart, and whispered into Lance’s ear which was now very red. The warmth and close proximity of Keith’s breath sent a sharp shiver down Lance’s spine, one which he prayed Keith didn’t notice. 

“Now you have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh I imagine Pidge to be adorably cute but savage when she's jealous


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One awkward moment after another :^)  
> Also a sweet Hunk and Lance moment ;w;
> 
> This chapter is primarily focused on Lance's perspective, so next chapter I'll try to focus more on Keith's. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, thank you guys for all the comments and support! It makes me happy<3
> 
> And just so everyone knows, I will be updating this twice a week, every Monday and Friday~

“God, my head is killing me,” Pidge groaned. “Why did you let me take those shots?”

“Hey, I feel just as crappy as you do, alright?” Lance complained, laying his head down on the study table in front of him. But, drinking aside, Lance had a headache because of a different reason. 

 

_“W-w-what the hell Keith!? Th-that’s totally cheating!!”_

_“Yeah well, you also cheated.”_

_“Huh?? No I didn’t!!”_

_“You used something you knew would get me out, and I thought we established that isn’t allowed?”_

_“So what!? You were probably about to do the same to me!!”_

_“Please, I’m not so low that I’d resort to dirty tactics like you in order to win.”_

_“What?!!”_

_“Not like I’m surprised you’d use my own sexuality against me. That’s just like you.”_

_“Sh-shut up! I didn’t mean it like that!!”_

_“Sure Lance…”_

 

“Lance...LANCE!” Pidge’s voice snapped Lance from his thoughts regarding the night before. 

“Sorry, I’m awake,” Lance apologized, rubbing his eyes awake. 

“Dude, I know last night was a long night, but we really have to focus on studying right now. You know how hard Grover’s tests are.” 

Pidge flipped through her World Literature textbook, searching for information to fill her study guide. 

“I know…”

“Alright, what’s up?” Pidge closed her book and turned her seat to face Lance. 

“What do you mean?”

“I know we’re hungover and all, but it really seems like something else has been bothering you today. Wait a minute...”

“Please don’t say it,” Lance moaned.

“That kiss. Is that it? That’s what’s bothering you?”

“Is that weird?”

“The fact that it’s bothering you or the kiss itself?”

“Umm, both?” 

“I mean, nobody really said anything...We all just assumed Keith was fucking with you since you technically did kinda cheat at that last round. It was pretty funny, to be honest.”

“Wait, really? That’s it?” Lance couldn’t believe it. Nobody thought anything of it? All while it was the only thing he could think of since last night? 

“Uh, yeah...Aw, did you think it actually meant something?” Pidge teased with a smirk. 

“Shut up. It just caught me off guard, you know? I mean, I can’t stand Keith. And he can’t stand me. Why would he… _kiss_ me?”

“Dude you’re thinking too much into it, chill.” Pidge chuckled, placing a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “I’ve never seen you fret so much over a kiss.”

“I-I’m not fretting! I just...wasn’t sure if it was normal…”

“Seriously? You’ve had your fair share of kisses, right? Just because it’s a guy, does that really matter? I mean, it doesn’t mean you’re gay, if that’s what you’re freaking out about...unless…”

“Unless?”

“Unless...you liked it?” 

“Gross Pidge. This is Keith we’re talking about, remember?’

“Then why are your ears turning red?” 

“You know what, I am feeling much better now and you’re right, it was just a game and I think I’m just really tired and I would love to drop this conversation and get back to studying.”

Pidge chuckled to herself. 

 

\---

 

By the time Lance returned to his dorm room it was nearly dark out, and Keith still wasn’t back. When Lance had woken up that morning, Keith was already gone. A feeling of relief came over Lance, as he wanted to avoid Keith as long as possible. Despite Pidge’s nonchalant reaction to last night’s events, Lance couldn’t shake away the anxious feeling inside. He didn’t know why he was feeling the way he was. He was definitely overreacting, and it was all he could think about. He wondered if it really was no big deal to Keith. Lance opened up his laptop and switched on his game for a distraction. 

“Yo.” Keith entered the room about ten minutes later, and Lance jumped at the sound of his voice. He walked in carrying a sports bag, and from the dewy glow of his face it was evident he had just returned from the gym. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” Keith responded to Lance’s reaction. 

“N-no, it’s cool. I was just playing my game,” Lance explained. 

“Cool. Um, I was thinking of playing tonight. It’s been a couple days and I know you need that review asap, and It’d be cool if I could actually get past the first chapter…”

Lance glanced over at Keith as he spoke, who was now peeling off the thin sweatshirt he had been wearing. Pretty soon, Lance was staring. He had seen it many times before, Keith shirtless, but this time he payed attention to the curves of his abs, the sharpness of his collar bones, the way his pale skin glistened with damp sweat. His tattoo, one Lance had never given much attention to, stood out this time as well. The image of a lion took up half of his right arm, decorating the majority of his shoulder in colors of red, black, and deep purple. 

“Okay?”

“Y-yeah sure I’ll help you pass chapter one tonight, yeah no problem.” Lance immediately looked away, suddenly aware he was staring and praying Keith didn’t notice. 

“Alright, well I’m going to go take a quick shower, then we can play?” Keith grabbed his towel, shower sandals, and a pair of clean clothes as he headed out the door. 

“Yeah.” 

Thirty minutes later and Lance found himself sitting atop his twin sized bed with Keith, laptop in his lap. They had been in this same position playing the game just two days prior, except this time, Lance felt awkward. Rather, he felt aware, too aware, of Keith’s presence beside him. It was the type of feeling one would feel sitting next to one’s crush, except Lance did not have a crush on Keith. Absolutely not, he convinced himself. 

_I’m just still feeling awkward about last night. That’s a totally natural reaction. I mean, he did kiss me..._

“Okay, so I should walk Jiro home at this point, right?” Keith asked, pointing to the options on the screen. 

“Um, yeah,” Lance responded, trying to shake away his tensity. “If you choose this option, you’ll advance more with Jiro and unlock the options that will get you to the next chapter.”

“It seems so unnatural but if that’s what I need to do then fine.”

“Trust me, it gets really good after chapter one,” Lance reassured. 

“Whatever you say, nerd.” Keith clicked on the choice to walk Jiro home, which brought him to a new screen displaying the front of Jiro’s home. 

_“Okay, Jiro, this is where I leave you. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”_

_“W-wait Keith-senpai! You don’t have to leave yet... It’d be nice if you came inside for some tea~!”_

A new display of screen options appeared:  
**  
**_Accept invitation_  
_Apologize and decline_  
_Firmly decline_

“I’m assuming I should accept his invitation?” Keith asked Lance. 

“Uh, duh. This is the only option that’ll get you through to the next scene.” 

“Fine, fine.”

Keith accepted the invitation and was brought inside of Jiro’s house. For the next several minutes of the game Keith’s character and Jiro conversed about school and work as they enjoyed their tea. 

_“Well, I really should be going now, Jiro. Thank you for the tea.”_

_“Wait! I’m sorry, Keith-senpai, I actually brought you here because there’s something I wanted to tell you...”_

_“What is it, Jiro?”_

_“Actually, Keith-senpai, I-I’ve been thinking about you.”_

_“Thinking about me?”_

_“Yeah...I’ve only been working at the coffee shop for a couple weeks now, but you’ve been so kind to me, since the day I started. I’m so happy.”_

_“Well, I’m glad you are happy.”_

_“U-um, I think, to be honest, I’ve developed feelings for you…Would it be alright if I kissed you?”_

_“Jiro, this isn’t right...I’m your manager, and ten years older than you.”_

_“P-please senpai. Just one kiss?”_

A new display of options popped onto the screen:

****_Kiss Jiro_  
_Push him away_  
_Politely decline_

Without confirming his decision with Lance, Keith clicked on the first option, and Lance found himself quickly regretting his decision to play this game with Keith. 

An image of the protagonist and Jiro kissing took up the screen and Lance’s ears began to burn red.  
_  
“Mmnn...senpai…”_

_“Ahh...haah…”_

_“Senpai makes the cutest sounds...kiss me more…”_

_“Nnn…”_

A horrified expression grew on Lance’s face at the sounds that were coming from his laptop. He glanced at Keith, who’s eyes were still focused on the screen with a blank expression. A light blush, however, formed across his cheeks. Lance immediately shut the laptop closed. 

“U-um, wow, uh, yeah sorry, I kinda forgot to warn you about uhh, that scene, um…” 

Lance knew the scene was there, he knew it was coming, but he never imagined he would feel this embarrassed watching it with Keith. It was only a kissing scene. It was _only_ a kissing scene. There were plenty of scenes later on that would be much worse, and Lance had played through them all. He was completely aware of the type of game he was giving Keith to play and review. But, he had never given it a second thought. He loved the game and the story was beautiful and engaging, but it hadn’t struck him that he’d become so mortified watching a kiss scene. It was equivalent to watching a sex scene in a movie with your parents in the room. Something you’d never give a second thought to on your own, but suddenly become overtly aware of in someone else’s presence. 

“Is that really how guys sound when they make out?” Keith’s question was unexpected and the redness in Lance’s ears was certainly spreading to his face. 

“W-wouldn’t you know? You’re the one who’s gay…”

“Yeah, but I’ve never made out with someone before.” 

“But you kissed me!! Like it was nothing!!” Lance couldn’t believe Keith had never made out with someone, considering he acted so casual about their kiss the night before. 

“Kissed, not made out. And, it was just payback. It didn’t mean anything, and I knew it’d piss you off.”

“So you kissed me because you wanted to piss me off?” 

“Yeah. I mean, I’m probably the last person you’d ever want to kiss, right? That should be enough to get back at you, even though it wasn’t exactly a real kiss.”

“Oh. Wait, what do you mean it wasn’t a real kiss?” Lance distinctly remembered his lips on Keith’s strawberry vodka lips. 

“A real kiss is one that has meaning, you know? Not a quick peck that was done out of spite during a dumb game.”

If that was Keith’s definition of a real kiss, then Lance was a real-kiss virgin. He had kissed girls in high school at parties and as dares, but never what Keith had just described. Never like the characters in his games. Keith didn’t need to know that, however. 

“Yeah. I agree, that wasn’t a real kiss.”

 

\---

 

As the week progressed, Lance found himself calming down from the prior weekend’s events. He had finally gotten Keith to pass the first chapter of the game, which meant Keith had gotten the hang of the game enough to play on his own and Lance wouldn’t have to sit through another awkward gameplay with Keith. In addition, he had scored an A- on his World Literature exam. All was well in Lance’s world. 

“Hey, so this weekend, Pidge and I were thinking of checking out the newest Legendary Defenders movie, you wanna come with?” Hunk asked Lance on their way back from their afternoon class. 

“Dude, you should totally go, just the two of you. This is like, the perfect opportunity!”

“Ehh, I don’t know, I don’t think I’m ready for that…” Hunk replied, nervously scratching the back of his head. 

“C’mon, you’ve liked her since last semester and you’ve made zero moves.”

“Yeah, but she’s our friend, you know? If I make a move and I get rejected, won’t that be awkward for everyone?” 

“Hmm, that’s true,” Lance admitted. “But if you really like her, it’s worth a shot. What if she likes you back?”

“That’s the other thing...to be honest, I don’t think she does…”

“What do you mean?” 

Hunk sighed. 

“I have a feeling she actually already likes someone.”

“What? Who?” Lance was genuinely confused. Him and Pidge were close, like brother and sister. He was certain he would be the first to know if Pidge was interested in someone. 

“Please don’t say anything, I’m not sure if it’s entirely true, but...I think she likes Shiro.”

“Shiro?? There’s no way!”

“She was acting pretty weird at his party, don’t you think? She avoided him the entire night, except for when she shoved cake in his face, but don’t you think that’s weird? And I noticed the week before she didn’t talk much to him either when we’d all hang out. When Allura was there, it seemed to be even worse.”

“You think it’s because of Allura?”

“Yeah, I think she’s jealous. She only started acting like this after they got together. It’s the only explanation I can think of.”

“Now that you mention it, she was acting pretty weird. She took some shots, which she never ever does. And she...wait a minute, she asked me a weird question too.”

“What was it?”

“She asked me if I’d ever been in love, or something like that. It was really random.”

“Yeah…” Hunk looked down, trying to hide the disappointment in his face. 

“If it’s true, then I’m sorry man. She’s known him for so many years, I wonder why she’d show her true feelings now, so suddenly? I mean, he’s dated tons of other girls...”

“Maybe, because she was kinda friends with Allura before she started dating Shiro? They were lab partners last semester, remember?”

“Oh, yeah, I kinda remember. That’s how Shiro met her…Yeah that’s shitty. If I were Pidge I’d be upset too, since she’s pretty much the reason they were introduced.”

“Yeah...But, it’s fine. I’m okay with just being friends, and I guess it’s better that I don’t let her know my feelings for the sake of the group. It just sucks. She’s so awesome…”

“Hey, you’re awesome too, and maybe one day she’ll realize that.” Lance gave Hunk a friendly and reassuring pat on the shoulder. 

“Thanks man.” Hunk returned a small smile, trying to push away the bad feelings. 

It wasn’t like Hunk to reveal such emotions. He was always smiling, and he was always the one to cheer everyone else up when they were down. It was his unofficial role in the group, and he didn’t mind one bit. But for once, it felt nice to switch roles when he was the one who felt down. 

“How about we go then, just the three of us to see the movie? It’ll be fun,” Lance suggested. 

“Yeah, let’s do it,” Hunk agreed. “Afterall, I’ve been dying to see this remake for the longest time.”

 

\---

 

When Lance finally returned from class and opened the door to his dorm room, it took him a moment to process what he saw. 

Keith, sitting atop his bed, head tilted, back arched against the wall, face flushed, one hand in his pants, the other clutching the fabric beneath him. Sharp breaths escaped through his parted lips. 

_Oh my god._

Lance yelped at the sight. Keith’s face quickly changed from one of pleasure to one of complete and utter horror. Lance just walked in on Keith and he felt like screaming. 

“You’re not supposed to be back for another half hour!!” Keith screeched, grabbing the nearest pillow and pushing it onto his lap. 

“Our professor let us out early!! Shit, Keith!!” 

“J-just stop looking!! Get out!!”

Lance practically ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He leaned against the door for a minute, trying to clear his head of what he had just witnessed. It was no use. His mind was now consumed with the image of Keith masturbating. 

Lance quickly made his way to the dorm bathroom to splash some cool sink water on his face. The scene that was now replaying in his mind on repeat reminded him too much of one from his game. One in which the protagonist walks in on Jiro, touching himself. 

_“Lance-senpai!! I didn’t know you’d get back so soon!”_

_“N-no, don’t leave. It’s okay! I want you to...help me out, senpai.”_

_“Nnn! Ahh...L-lance senpai...your hand...it’s s-so good....”_

_“Don’t stop, senpai...I...ahh...I’m going to…!!”_

The entire scene played through Lance’s mind, except, instead of Jiro, he was imagining _Keith_. It wasn’t long before the sensitive spot beneath his belt began to ache, and something like fire shot through his gut. 

_Fuck. This isn’t good._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance regularly wears cherry chapstick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit shorter chapter than usual but please forgive me, the next one will be longer i promise~  
> p.s. thank you all so much for all the comments and kudos oh gosh they make me so happy and i love reading all of your feedback<3  
> p.p.s. sorry for all the cliffhangers :,D

Keith was pretending to be asleep. Of course he was. How could he face Lance after what had just happened? Lance definitely took his time returning to the room, and even then, it wasn’t enough time for Keith to really fall asleep. Still, he had to pretend. 

He listened as Lance entered, footsteps making their way across the room. How would he face him in the morning? What would he say? Keith cringed at the thought. He peaked from his blanket as Lance got ready for bed, his mind running in circles the moment Lance undressed to change into his pajamas. Keith couldn’t help but watch. It wasn’t like he had always been attracted to Lance. He genuinely couldn’t stand him for the longest time. But lately, he couldn’t deny that Lance was actually kind of cute. Just a little bit. Keith had noticed Lance blushed and stuttered a lot more these days, particularly when he was around. It was a side of Lance that Keith had never seen until he discovered Lance’s secret hobby. And, he couldn’t help but notice Lance’s flushed and flustered reaction to their sudden kiss. 

So, when Lance stood beside his closet, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, Keith wanted to look. Despite the dimness of the room, he could still distinguish the curves of his shoulders, the dimples on his lower back, and the freckles scattered across the back of his neck. He noticed the two small moles toward the left center of his back. His skin looked warm, and Keith found himself wanting so badly to run his fingers across its soft bronze texture. God dammit, Keith thought, when did this start? When did he become so aware of Lance? 

 

The next morning, it was as if nothing happened. 

“Ughh, can it be friday yet?” Lance groaned, getting out of bed. Keith, who had been awake for an hour already, glanced over at Lance and internally cursed. The sight of Lance without his shirt and bed head was too much for Keith this early in the day. 

Keith turned back around and tried to focus on the essay he was currently working on at his small desk. He needed to pretend nothing had happened. And he especially needed to pretend he wasn’t growing more attracted to Lance each time he saw him. 

“Hey, you’re in Linsky’s Tuesday and Thursday class, right?” Lance asked, but this time Keith refused to turn back around. 

“Yeah.”

“I don’t really know anyone else who has him for Bio, and the test is coming up...so I was wondering if you’d wanna study together later?”

“Um, yeah sure.” Keith agreed, surprised by Lance’s question. He still felt incredibly awkward about the night before, but it’s not as if he expected Lance to bring it up. 

“Cool. I get out of class at like, 5:45, so I’ll be back around 6.”

“Sounds good.”

 

\---

 

Keith sat atop his bed with his textbook open and notes scattered. Lance should be back soon and Keith thought it’d be a good idea to organize and prepare for their study session. He realized he’d never studied alone with Lance before, since they typically studied at the library along with the rest of their friends. 

“Hey.” Lance finally showed, tossing his backpack onto his bed and proceeding to take out his Biology textbook and binder. “So how far are you on the study guide?”

“I’ve done about a quarter of it. There’s so many questions.”

“Tell me about it. This class is a fucking pain in my ass.” Lance plopped himself beside Keith on the bed.

“Oh. Uh, we could use the desk if you want?” Keith suddenly felt too aware of Lance’s presence beside him. He was fairly good at hiding it, but still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. 

“Nah, those chairs are super uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, true,” Keith agreed. “Alright, so how much of the study guide did you finish?”

“I finished it.”

“Wait, seriously? You finished it already??” Keith couldn’t believe it. Lance finished the study guide before him? He had assumed Lance asked him to study together because he hadn’t even started on the study guide. He was always copying off of Pidge’s study guides and notes from other classes. 

“Uh, yeah. I knew we’d be studying together so I wanted to prepare as much as I could.” Lance shrugged. 

“Well, shit. If I knew that I would’ve tried to finish more of-”

“Dude, it’s totally fine. I didn’t expect you to, and I had some free time earlier so…”

“Alright, well let’s compare notes.”

Almost an hour into studying had passed quickly, and Keith found his initial nerves had calmed, and discovered Lance can be studious when he wants to be. Much to his surprise, Lance was being very helpful, and the two of them had been able to tolerate each other the entire time. 

“Adenisine triphosphate.”

“It’s the molecule that cells get energy from, and it’s made up of an adenisine molecule that’s bonded to three phosphates.”

“Correct.” Keith gave Lance a thumbs up. “And which phosphate bond has the most energy?”

“The third one,” Lance answered. “And if you break that one and reduce the ATP to ADP then the cell can get the energy it needs to carry out its various processes.”

“Nice. You’ve gotten almost every single term correct.” Keith had never seen this side of Lance. He always assumed his grades were decent, but Lance always seemed so laid back about everything, he’d never expected him to be this good. 

“Wanna take a short break before I quiz you? My brain is kinda killing me right now.” 

“Yeah, good idea,” Keith agreed. 

“Sweet. Do me a favor and be my pillow for like ten minutes?” 

“Huh?” 

Before Keith could understand what Lance meant or protest, Lance had lied down and placed his head on Keith’s lap. 

“Um, what are you doing?”

“Just let me powernap for a little bit,” Lance mumbled, closing his eyes. “I couldn’t sleep well last night.”

_“Then go the fuck over to your bed to lie down, and use a real pillow!”_

That was what Keith wanted to say, but instead found himself just looking down at Lance’s resting face. Within moments, he was passed out, and Keith tried to focus on anything else besides Lance’s head in his lap. Lance really was clueless. Keith cursed to himself, for all he could do was watch Lance’s sleeping face. 

He studied the features of Lance’s face: his button nose, decorated with clusters of faint freckles; his soft skin and warm tinted cheeks; and his barely parted lips, thin but shapely. His _lips_...Keith couldn’t bring his eyes away. A surprising urge to touch them, to feel their softness at his fingertips, came over Keith. He brought his hand to Lance’s face, gently brushing away strands of brown hair. He traced his fingers slowly down the side of Lance’s face, cautious not to wake him. He stopped at Lance’s lips, and ever so carefully grazed them with his thumb. Fuck, they were _soft_.

Keith kept his finger there, gently stroking Lance’s bottom lip as he napped. He had kissed these lips before, but he hadn’t realized until now how incredibly smooth they were. 

“Mnnn…” A soft moan escaped those lips, and Keith froze.

_Shit, what am I doing?_

Keith brought his hand a bit lower, stroking just beneath where the brunette’s upper neck and jaw bone meet. 

“Nnnh…” Lance moaned again, and Keith felt himself heat up from the sound. He should stop, he thought. He should totally and completely stop. But, he wanted to hear Lance again. He continued to rub the nook of his neck in soft circles, a spot which seemed most sensitive. 

“Mmnn...Keith…” The darker haired boy shivered at the whisper of his name. Heat continued to build up inside of him, and Lance shifted in his slumber, pressing against a certain area that was now hardening in Keith’s pants. 

_Shit. Shit. Shit. This is bad. This is so bad._

Without considering the consequences, Keith practically threw Lance from his lap, watching as the brunette rolled off the bed and onto the hard floor. 

“DUDE! What the HELL is wrong with you?!” 

“S-sorry!! There was, uhh, a bug!” Keith tried to quickly come up with a somewhat reasonable excuse for suddenly tossing Lance off the bed. 

“Bullshit! You’re not even afraid of bugs!!” Lance rubbed at the back of his head that had been hit. “You’re such an asshole!”

“What?! It was an accident!!” 

“Yeah right! You probably thought it’d be great to see me fall off the bed, didn’t you?!”

“Dude, shut the hell up, it’s not like that at all!!” 

“You’re such a fucking ass hole! Always doing shit to make fun of me or make me look stupid!!” Lance was mad, and Keith didn’t realize what he did would upset Lance so much. Rather, he didn’t even think before doing it. 

“What the fuck!? Are you kidding me right now?!” Keith stood up from the bed to face the angry brunette. 

“I couldn’t even sleep last night because I felt so awkward about what happened! It’s all your god damn fault!!”

“What?!” Keith couldn’t believe what Lance was making of the situation, and now he was starting to get pissed off as well. 

“Like, holy shit, do that kinda thing in the bathroom or something, but not when I’m here!”

“I’m sorry, okay?! I didn’t mean to make you feel awkward and I didn’t even know you’d be back that soon!!” 

“Yeah, well I was! Like, have some respect for your own roommate!!”

“I said I’m sorry, Lance! You’re seriously making a big deal out of nothing!”

“Of course, blame the one who got thrown off the bed!”

Lance was really getting on Keith’s nerves. 

“Can you just shut up?!”

“Make me, asshole!!” 

_Oh, I’ll shut you up alright._

Without thought or warning, Keith’s lips were crushing into Lance’s, closing the short space between them. Like their kiss from the jacuzzi, it was hard and sudden, earning a gasp of surprise from Lance. But this time, Keith didn’t pull away. Instead, he deepened the kiss, or at least tried to before being pushed away. 

“What the fu-”

Before Keith could give Lance a chance to start arguing again, he pulled him back into the kiss, both hands gripping the front of his grey t-shirt. Instead of protesting again, Lance’s lips gave in to Keith’s. The kiss was clumsy, but it was intense. Keith’s head was spinning from the subtle cherry flavor of Lance’s mouth and the soft moans that were now escaping the brunette. 

_Oh my God, I’m kissing Lance._

Light-headed from the kiss, Keith stumbled forward, pushing Lance against the the edge of the bed. Lance leaned back onto the bed, pulling Keith with him, as if determined not to break the kiss. Keith now leaned over Lance, one hand against the mattress, the other cradling the back of Lance’s neck. Slender hands found their way to Keith’s dark hair, grasping and pulling at the long locks, desperate for something to cling to. Keith deepened the kiss in response, earning another moan from the brunette beneath him. 

“Mnn..” 

_Fuck. Why does this feel so good?_

The rush that came with kissing Lance was unlike anything. It wasn’t long before Keith had one leg nudged between Lance’s, pushing up against his crotch. A cry escaped Lance that made Keith shudder. 

_Fuck. I should stop._

Lance pulled the darker haired boy closer, rocking his hips upward to feel Keith even closer. The contact of Lance’s hardened cock against his own was too much. This time Keith cried out, throwing his head back, only to have Lance pull him back to his lips. Lance’s kiss was so _so_ needy. And Keith couldn’t resist. Everything felt too good and the room was spinning. Endlessly spinning. 

_Fuck._

_How did this even happen…_

 

“Oh my God.” 

Almost as soon as the kissing had begun, it ended, and the spinning room came to an immediate stop. Keith broke away from the kiss to find a horrified Pidge standing in the entrance-way of their room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk sudden kisses are my favorite :^)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge gets revenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys SO MUCH for all the amazing comments, reading them makes me incredibly happy and I always get so excited posting these updates for you all~ 
> 
> Finally we learn more about Pidge...And I'm sorry for the feels, actually Pidge's experience which she discusses in this chapter is heavily inspired by something I myself went through, so I feel so hard for her<3

“Oh my God.”

This time Keith was the one thrown from the bed as an absolutely horrified and beat red Lance shoved the darker haired boy off of him, not a second to lose. 

“Ow!”

“P-pidge! It’s n-not what it looks like!!” Lance struggled to find the right words to explain what Pidge had just walked in on, but even he didn’t know what had just happened. That he and Keith...Keith and him.... _Fuck_.

“H-he’s right!! Umm...we were uhh...just um...he wouldn’t shut up!!” Keith tried to explain as well. He was equally red as Lance, a sight that was admittedly quite rare. The only other time Lance had seen Keith so flushed before was when he had walked in on him the night before…

Pidge stood wide-eyed and silent for several moments before saying something. 

“I...um...just came to...uh…get my world lit notes back from Lance…I-I can come back, um, later…” And with that, Pidge left the room. 

“Pidge!! Shit…” Without hesitation, Lance went after her, entirely and completely embarrassed about what had just happened, but still wanting to explain the situation as best as he could...if he could. 

“Pidge! Wait up!!”

“It’s okay, Lance...Um, just, don’t worry about it...I’m going back to my room.”

“Pidge...let me come with you then!”

The two walked over to the Pidge’s dormitory building together in heavy silence. Lance had no idea what to say and was still processing what had just happened with Keith, while Pidge was being understandably quiet as well. When they finally reached her single bedroom, Lance broke the silence. 

“Okay so...I...I’m sorry you had to see...uh… _that_ …”

“By _that_ you mean you and Keith dry humping and making out? Yeah.. that’s probably the last thing on my bucket list.” 

Lance tensed. All that had happened sounded more real with Pidge’s words. He was praying that all of this so far was part of some fucked up dream, yet part of him was glad that it wasn’t...and that freaked him out. 

“Y-yeah…”

Pidge chuckled softly and the awkward tension in the room lessened just a bit. 

“Chill dude. I just didn’t realize you and Keith...I mean, after our conversation the other day I never would have guessed...I just wish you would’ve told me you two were, uh....together.”

“We aren’t!!”

“Okay...so was I seeing things then?”

Lance sighed. How the hell was he supposed to explain this?

“I mean...this is...um...the first time this has happened…”

“Woah, woah, what?”

“We were just studying and then, um, there was an argument and uh, Keith told me to shut up and I told him to make me and um...yeah...that happened…”

“I...see.” Pidge went strangely quiet and Lance found himself uncomfortably shifting in his seat on the floor. He didn’t know what else to say so he just sat there and waited for his wild-haired friend to speak up, but she didn’t. Instead she collapsed back onto her bed and released a breath she had been holding in. 

“Um...I don’t really know what to do now…” Lance drew his attention to the Harry Potter movie posters that took up a good portion of his friend’s wall. He thought about how lucky she was to have her own room, to do as she pleased without worrying about a room mate. How lucky Pidge was to not have to go through what Lance was going through now...

“Do you like him?” Pidge’s question caught Lance off guard, and he instantly sat up to see her still lying down horizontally across her bed, staring at the ceiling. 

“What?”

“Do you like him? Do you like Keith?” 

“As in...would I date him?”

“Yes, Lance.”

Lance thought for a moment. He thought back to Keith’s words from a few days before… _“A real kiss is one that has meaning, you know?”_

Did that kiss count as a _real_ kiss...? Lance honestly didn’t know. He knew it was completely different from their first kiss, but still…

_No way...It can’t be...Keith only did that to shut me up and then it sort of got out of hand...yeah...there’s no way he actually meant it...right?_

“I...I don’t think so…”

_But some part of me really hopes he meant it…_

“Lance...there’s something I want to tell you. Please just, hear me out okay?” Pidge sat up from her bed and met Lance’s gaze with a serious expression he wasn’t used to seeing on his best friend. 

“Okay.”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but...Allura and I aren’t exactly friends anymore. We haven’t really been since after winter break.”

“Yeah..when her and Shiro started dating...”

The auburn-haired girl stiffened and took a pause before continuing, as if mentally preparing herself for what she was going to say next.

“Well...right before break, during finals week, we were studying together in my room for our chemistry exam. I don’t know what came over me, but...I kissed her. I kissed her and the best, yet worst part of it was that she kissed me back. I..I had never felt so happy in my life…” 

Pidge took another pause before continuing, and Lance couldn’t help but notice the slight shaking of her voice. 

“After finals were done we said our goodbyes and went back home for the two weeks. I must’ve thought about her every minute of every day during that break. It was the longest two weeks of my life. For once, I couldn’t wait to come back to school, just so I could see her brilliant face. I texted her a bit the first week, and she would rarely reply, always saying she was too busy with family stuff at home. By the second week, she stopped replying completely... And when I came back to school, I found out that she and Shiro were dating.” 

“Pidge, I...I had no idea…”

Lance watched as his friend trembled, holding back tears he was certain she had held in for so long. He was speechless. He had no idea what to say, so he did the only thing he could do, and pulled his small friend into a tight embrace. With this gesture, the tears began to flow freely from behind her round spectacles. Lance held her for as long as she needed him to. He held her until her hard sobs had become soft cries, until her shaking shoulders had calmed. Pidge was his best friend, and it absolutely killed him to see her this way. He hated that he wasn’t there for her, that he couldn’t see through her facade and recognize how much she was hurting inside. He wanted to always be there for her, and he hated that he had only been there for her now. 

“I’m so...sorry...I knew you had been acting weird...and I never even checked to see if you were truly okay...I..I should have been there for you…”

“Lance...it’s okay,” Pidge whispered. 

“I had no idea...I should’ve been there...I’m so, so sorry, Pidge.”

“I hide things pretty well… _too_ well...” Pidge confessed. “So, please...you don’t need to be sorry..I shouldn’t do this to myself…” Pidge broke away from the embrace to look her friend in the eyes. Her large brown eyes were swollen and red, and her cheeks were stained with her last few tears. Lance’s heart dropped at the sight. 

“Please...you don’t have to keep these things in like this. I’m your best friend, Pidge. So please...you don’t have to endure these things alone...not when I’m here.”

“Thanks Lance.” Pidge smiled softly, wiping away the remaining tears. “But...promise me you won’t do that to Keith…”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean...the reason I’m opening up to you like this about Allura...is that I don’t want you to hurt Keith.”

“How would I hurt Keith?” Lance was genuinely uncertain by what Pidge meant. 

“You...kissed him back, right?”

“Y-yeah.”

“So, don’t be so dense. He kissed you..for a reason...and for the mere sake of shutting you up is not a good enough reason.”

“I don’t really get it…”

Pidge sighed. 

“Lance, all I’m saying is that it’s possible Keith _meant_ that kiss. It’s possible that Keith likes you...a lot more than you realize. It’s possible that he has been wanting to kiss you, and just used that game from the jacuzzi and shutting you up as an excuse to do so...So, because all of these things are possible...you can’t use oblivion as an excuse anymore.”

“But..there’s no way...Keith is supposed to hate me...”

“And you’re supposed to hate him too, right?”

“Yeah..”

“Then why’d you kiss back someone you’re supposed to hate?”

Lance’s ears began to change color, and his face grew flushed. 

“It-it’s not like I meant to kiss him back! I pushed him away, I swear!”

“That’s not how it looked when I walked in…” Pidge’s signature grin appeared, and though Lance was glad to see Pidge smiling, he couldn’t help but groan as realization of the situation sunk in. 

“Oh fuck..what am I going to do?? I can’t just go back there tonight, there’s no fucking way I can face Keith right now. Oh God, help me Pidge.”

“Fine...I’ll let you stay here tonight but you better confront him tomorrow,” Pidge warned. 

“Pidge, you are a lifesaver! At least a temporary one…”

 

\---

 

When Lance got back to his room the next morning, Keith was still, much to his surprise, asleep. Lance silently thanked the gods and proceeded to grab his backpack and a fresh pair of clothes as quietly as possible. He considered it strange that Keith was still knocked out at this hour, since Keith is typically awake at the crack of dawn. Then he saw it. 

On his desk sat a printed sheet of paper titled _My Pretty Boyfriend: A Review by a Visual Novel Virgin_. Lance couldn’t believe it. Last time they had played, Keith had just barely gotten past the first chapter. Now he had...finished the entire thing?? 

“I can’t believe it…” Lance admitted aloud. The sound of Keith’s muffled groan interrupted Lance’s thoughts. _Shit._

“Lance…?” Keith slowly sat up from his bed, rubbing away the sleep in his eyes. Dark circles framed his deep blue eyes. His dark mullet was all over the place, a messy sight that Lance wasn’t familiar with. He looked half-dead.

“Uhh..sorry, just go back to sleep...you look kinda rough dude.” 

Keith released a long yawn, stretching himself awake. As he lifted his arms, his navy t-shirt lifted as well, revealing the slightest bit of pale skin of his lower waist. Lance gulped. He tried very hard to think of anything else but Keith’s lips on his own. 

“I’m awake…” Keith announced groggily. Lance tried to think of anything else but how cute Keith sounds when he’s sleepy. 

“I, uh..I saw your review...Um, I haven’t read it yet though…”

“Hmm? Oh yeah...I spent all night playing...I don’t think I’ve ever stayed up that late playing a game before,” Keith admitted through another yawn. 

“Shit...why’d you do that?”

“I was..uh, having fun..” 

“Wait, really??” Suddenly Lance was able to push aside his impure thoughts.

“Yeah…” Keith looked a bit embarrassed to admit it, as his cheeks flushed a light pink. 

“It..It was amazing, right? I told you you’d love it!! Hey, what did you think about that last chapter?? Tear jerking, right??” Lance was full of excitement and he couldn’t contain it, even after how awkward things had been left between the two of them previously. 

“Actually...yeah,” Keith agreed. “Like, once I got to the middle of chapter two, I couldn’t stop…”

“Right?? And poor Jiro...it just makes you want to hug him through the screen. But, damn, it’s such a great cliffhanger!”

“Honestly, Jiro reminded me a lot of you.” Keith chuckled. 

“W-what?? But Jiro is like, the epitome of cuteness.”

“Yeah..” 

Lance turned beat red and his chest skipped a beat at the realization of Keith’s words. _Fuck. Calm down, he probably didn’t mean it that way._

“I mean! Um...Jiro’s personality...yeah, his personality is sort of similar to yours..Like, you both like to sleep a lot and...uh.. you can both eat a ton of sushi despite how skinny you are...” Keith quickly tried to explain himself. 

_See? Keith probably thinks I’m completely uncute._ Still, Pidge’s words from the night before echoed in his mind. _Even so...I can’t believe it. I can’t believe there’s a chance he..likes me._

“Oh, yeah...I guess our personalities are a bit similar…” Lance tried to laugh off the misunderstanding, but internally his heart was racing. 

“Anyways, I was um...thinking..would it be cool if I borrowed part two?”

“Really?” Keith’s question surprised him, but Lance was more than willing to give him the next game. “Sure!! Wow, I never expected you to actually like this kind of thing.”

“I thought you guaranteed me before that I’d like it..” 

“I mean, yeah...but I didn’t expect you to want to play the sequel.”

“Whatever..I blame you.”

Lance laughed and glanced at his watch. 

“Shit, I gotta go. Don’t you have martial arts practice right now?”

“I told Shiro I wouldn’t be able to make it today. I’m exhausted as hell.”

“Alright..well the game should be in my laptop still..I just finished it so you’re welcome to grab it. Later!”

Lance rushed out the door, luckily making it to his first class of the day only a minute late. 

 

\---

 

“So...what did Keith have to say?”

_Fuck._

After class ended, Lance walked from the Language Arts building with Pidge, who had probably been on the edge of her seat all class just waiting for the oportunity to ask. 

“Uh..not much really…”

“You and Keith didn’t talk about it.”

“Nope..” 

The auburn-haired girl sighed. 

“I must’ve known it’d be too awkward to address the situation head-first.”

“So..you’re not upset with me?”

“Nah. Actually, I have an idea that will help this situation.”

“Oh?”

“Why don’t you invite Keith to come see the Legendary Defenders movie with us tonight?”

“Seriously? I don’t even think he likes that kind of stuff…” 

_Then again, he did admit to enjoying a yaoi visual novel…_

“Come on, who doesn’t want to sit back and watch some bad ass robots fight each other?” 

“What’s inviting him going to do? Won’t that be even more awkward for me?” Lance wasn’t sure what Pidge’s motive was...or rather, her _real_ motive. 

“I just think, if we all hang out it won’t be so weird, you know? Then you’ll feel more at ease when you guys do have… _the_ talk.” Pidge winked through her spectacles and Lance tried to keep his ears from flushing. 

“Y-yeah...good idea...I think he’s in class until five...I’ll shoot him a text to meet us at the theater in town.”

“Sound good.” Pidge smiled, but something about her smile worried Lance the slightest bit. “I have another class soon, gotta bounce. See you tonight!”

 

\---

 

Lance arrived at the movie theater about ten minutes before the meeting time, surprised to be the first one there. 

 

**To: Hunk, Pidge, Asshole roommate (Keith)**

_Hey, I’m here. I’ll wait by the fountain_

 

Keith’s response soon filled Lance’s phone screen. 

 

**From: Asshole roommate (Keith)**

_Almost there_

 

Lance groaned. _Oh no. Please don’t let Keith get here before everyone else. Please don’t leave me alone with Keith. I barely survived talking with him this morning…_

“Lance!” Keith’s voice yelled out his name from a distance, and Lance turned to notice the darker haired boy waving at him to get his attention. As he made his way closer, Lance’s insides fluttered. 

_Fuck. I can’t do this._

Keith’s dark locks had been pulled back into a messy ponytail, one that Lance found inexplicably cute and sexy at the same time. But it wasn’t just his hairstyle that made Lance’s pulse skip a beat. Keith sported a black, fitted leather jacket, under which he wore a simple gray t-shirt. Dark washed skinny jeans showed off long legs and lean muscles, and Lance couldn’t look away even if he wanted to. Keith looked effortlessly attractive. No, he was gorgeous. 

“Guess I’m a bit early too.” Keith smiled. 

_That smile...Fuck. Fuck it all. I give in. I admit. I am attracted as fuck to this dude._

“Yeah...uh..they should be here, um, soon though…” Lance nervously scratched at the back of his head. 

“You know..I’m actually pretty excited for this movie.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah. I used to watch the cartoon all the time when I was a kid.”

“No way, so did I!” Lance exclaimed. The more he learned about Keith, the more surprised he grew. 

“It sounds pretty lame, but that’s actually the inspiration behind my tattoo...the red lion is my favorite.”

“I actually think that’s pretty fucking awesome,” Lance admitted. 

“Really?” Keith face lit up at his compliment, and once more, Lance found himself trying desperately to calm his own nerves. 

“Yeah dude...But the blue lion is my personal fave. Hold on, I got a text from Pidge…” 

_No. No. No fucking way. Don’t you dare._

Lance looked at his phone screen with a horrified expression. 

 

**From: Pidge**

_Hunk isn’t feeling all that well (food poisoning I think) so I’m going to stay behind and keep him company :( Have fun at the movie though!_

 

“Don’t you dare Pidge…” Lance texted. He should have known. He had a bad feeling about this ever since she told him to invite Keith. He knew she was planning something. That little devil. 

 

**From: Pidge**

_Sorry Lance. Consider this payback for not locking your bedroom door :)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Keith and Lance's awkward first date shall commence next chapter
> 
>  
> 
> I told you Pidge is savage :^)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course Keith owns a motorcycle. (p.s. don't ever ride a bike/motorcycle without a helmet, seriously, keith is a shit example)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry, a day late (screw work), but here you go, my longest chapter so far~  
> FYI I won't be updating this Friday (but I'll try) because I am preparing for and attending a con this weekend, so next chapter update won't be until next Monday night

“What’d Pidge say?” Keith asked, Lance still blinking at his phone screen. 

“Um...they’re not coming…” 

“What? Why not?” Keith frowned. 

“Hunk has...food poisoning.” 

“Oh...that’s uh..not good..Wait, why isn’t Pidge coming then?”

“She’s staying behind with Hunk..to look after him or something.” Lance cursed internally at the situation. _God damn you Pidge._

“Oh. Um...do you still want to watch the movie?

“Um..sure..I mean, if you are still down?” Lance was secretly hoping that Keith would say no, as he was completely not mentally prepared to spend an evening alone with Keith. _Shit, wouldn’t that make this like...a date?_

“Yeah, I’ve been wanting to see this so why don’t we just go ahead and watch it?” Keith suggested quite nonchalant, while Lance’s anxiety continued to worsen. 

“Okay…” 

_Calm down Lance, it’s just two friends going to watch a movie together. This isn’t a date. This isn’t a date._

 

Once situated in their velvet red theater seats, Lance’s mind was running in circles. He started to overthink almost everything about the situation, and couldn’t help but envy how comfortable and cool Keith seemed. 

_Does Keith get the armrest between us or is that one mine? Or is mine the one on the right? Should I offer to buy some popcorn? Or maybe he doesn’t like popcorn? Wait, so I should buy it? Or do we split the cost? Fuck, I’ve never even been on a date...Fuck, stop thinking this is a date! You know what, just forget the popcorn. This is too complicated..._

“You alright?” Keith asked. 

“Huh? Um, yeah...Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“You just seem a bit..quiet.” 

“Oh..uh...no I’m fine. Guess I’m just really excited for the movie to start,” Lance used as an excuse. Without thinking, he placed his left arm on the middle arm rest that divided him from Keith. And to his dismay, it was already occupied. He had just placed his arm on top of Keith’s by accident. 

“Oh!” Lance jumped at the contact. “Crap, so-sorry, I didn’t see your arm there..” Lance was suddenly grateful the lights in the room were nearly blacked out, hiding his reddening face. 

“No worries…”

_Fuck. This is going to be the longest two hours of my life..._

 

And it was. Lance found it a miracle he made it through the entire film. He tried very hard to enjoy the movie, but he was too preoccupied feeling overly conscious of Keith’s presence just inches from him. _Date or no date, watching a movie with someone should not have to be this stressful…_

“Dude, that was awesome,” Keith announced as they exited the theater. “Pidge and Hunk sure missed out.”

“Yeah...pretty awesome…” Lance tried to share Keith’s enthusiasm, but he was mentally exhausted. 

“You sound really tired,” Keith pointed out. 

“I am a bit...I guess it’s just been a long week.” Lance wasn’t exactly lying about that part. 

“Hmm..too tired to hang out longer?” Something in Keith’s voice sounded hopeful, and as much as Lance wanted to dodge any other opportunities for him to be awkward around Keith, he couldn’t help but say yes. How could he not?

“I mean..I’m cool with hanging a bit longer. It’s not like I have anything to do tomorrow.”

Keith smiled in response. A smile that made Lance’s pulse speed up just a bit more than it already had been. 

“Then come on, let’s go for a ride.’

 

\---

 

A deep cherry red motorcycle stood parked against the curb outside the theater. Keith wondered if Lance had ever been on one. Probably not, he thought. He walked towards the back and twisted his key into the lock beneath the seat, allowing him to lift off the upper portion of the seat. He unhooked the dark helmet that was attached to the hook inside the seat, afterwards returning the seat to its original position. He tossed the helmet to Lance, who stood watching with a seemingly nervous expression. 

“Ever been on one of these?” Keith asked, borderline cocky.

“No…” Lance admitted. 

“Well, hop on.” Keith took a seat on the bike, prompting Lance to follow. “Her name is Ruby, by the way.” 

“Uh...nice to meet you Ruby.” Lance pulled the helmet over his head and hesitated for a moment before getting on. “Wait a minute, where’s your helmet?”

“You’re wearing it.” 

“Dude, not safe.”

“I’ll be fine, Lance.”

“Seriously? These things are dangerous as is and now you’re going to ride, at night, without a helmet? I knew you were the reckless type but…And why do I wear the helmet?”

“Chill mom, I’ll be fine,” Keith teased. “Besides, we aren’t going too far…” Keith turned around and smirked at Lance. “Don’t worry, I’ll go slow for you, princess.”

“Shut up,” Lance grumbled, crossing his arms. “That still doesn’t answer my question..”

“Which question?”

“Why am I the one wearing the helmet?”

“I don’t know...I’d just feel better knowing you’re safe.” Keith turned back as he spoke, and Lance noticed his voice had suddenly taken a somewhat serious tone. 

“Fine.” Lance hopped on the bike behind Keith. He tried to ignore his extremely close proximity to Keith, but he really couldn’t. They were practically touching. “So...uh, where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise,’ Keith answered, starting the engine. “Make sure you hold on tight, princess.”

“Hold on to wha-ahh!” 

The bike’s initial movement caused Lance to jolt forward, the front of his body completely pressed against the back of the darker-haired boy. 

“Hold onto me!” Keith shouted over the engine. Without even a second thought, Lance quickly wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist in a secure position. He couldn’t believe the position he was in right now, and he tried incredibly hard not to think about it. 

_Oh my God, I’m riding on the back of Keith’s motorcycle...And my arm is wrapped around his waist…”_

Lance tried to focus on anything other than his arms around Keith’s waist, but the only other thing he could think about was the scent of leather and cologne he could smell off of Keith in their close proximity. 

They began picking up speed, and the city lights passed in a blur. Keith’s dark, messy curls whipped about in the wind, and the cold night air they cut through made Lance’s nose numb. He was suddenly thankful he had Keith’s warm body against him. After several minutes, the initial nerves began to calm, and the rush of riding on the backseat of Keith’s bike became...enjoyable. He reveled in the moment, forgetting about the physical boundaries and anxiety he had felt during the movie. He closed his eyes, and welcomed the natural high that came from riding a motorcycle and the smell of Keith. 

A few more minutes later, the bike had come to a stop in front of a small shop decorated in white christmas lights and a sign that read _Aurelia’s_. The shop looked quaint and welcoming, and from the surrounding small window shops, Lance assumed they were close to the outskirts of the main city. 

“What’s this place?” Lance asked, awkwardly making his way off the back of the bike. 

“I used to work here,” Keith stated, and Lance couldn’t help but notice the warmth that filled his eyes as he spoke. “Come on, let’s go in.”

Lance followed behind Keith as they made their way through the entrance of the small store, the subtle ring of a bell going off as the door opened. The inside was warm, and the smell of freshly baked goods filled their noses. Old photographs and paintings decorated the walls all over, cluttered but artistic. More christmas lights were sprawled across the walls, contributing to a cozy and comforting atmosphere. A display case took up most of the shop’s space, showing off a variety of pastries, cookies, cakes, breads, and other goodies. Behind the counter of the shop stood a frail middle-aged woman with a small face and long brown hair tied into a single braid. 

“Keith?” Her face lit up instantly the moment he entered the shop.

“Hey Julie.” With a smile so unfamiliarly warm to Lance, Keith made his way behind the counter to embrace the woman. Lance was confused by the sight, as he had never seen Keith so genuinely affectionate with anyone before. 

“Keith!” The woman took a step back from Keith and placed both hands on her hips. “How could you not visit me for three whole months!!” 

“Sorry…” Keith began to apologize, the look of guilt evident on his face. “School’s just been..kinda crazy.” 

The woman sighed and pointed one of her fingers at Keith. 

“Not good enough, mister. The minimum requirement is once a month! Or else!” 

“Or else?”

“Yes, or else! Or else..hmm...no more pistachio cookies!”

Keith groaned, and Lance had no idea what was going on, but he was mildly entertained. 

“Fine, fine, I promise…Oh, um, by the way this is my roommate, Lance.” Keith turned to Lance, signaling him to come over and introduce himself. 

“Lance! Ooh that is a nice name, isn’t it? It’s very nice to meet you Lance! I’m Julianna, but everyone just calls me Julie.” 

“Nice to meet you too, Julie.” As Lance held out his hand, he was surprised to find himself being pulled into a tight embrace instead. 

“No need for hand shakes, Lance! This family’s all about hugs if ya don’t mind!” 

“Unfortunately,” Keith added, prompting a giggle out of Lance.

“Oh, shush your mouth, you.” Julie turned to Lance and whispered. “He’s never been a fan of hugs.”

“Yeah I figured,” Lance laughed. “Wait, so you two are..family?” Lance could’ve sworn he’d heard from Pidge that Keith was an orphan…

“Basically but not technically,” Julie said through a warm smile. “I’ve just known Keith for a very long time. Started helping me out at the shop when he was only ten. He sure loved to help me bake, though I’m certain he liked to eat more than he liked to bake!” 

“Wow, you know how to bake?” Lance turned to Keith, genuinely surprised by this new bit of information. He had never taken Keith for a baker. 

“Um..yeah, I guess..a bit.” Keith sheepishly admitted, and Lance couldn’t help but notice the slight flush of his face. It was just too cute. 

“Oh Keith’s too modest, as always. He’s a damn good little baker, I swear it,” Julie praised.

“Anyways..” Keith interjected, trying to change the subject. As much as he enjoyed the praise, he couldn’t help but feel awkward being the center of attention, especially in front of Lance. It only made him more conscious that his eyes were on him, which was rather nerve-racking. “I just stopped by to pick up a few things, if that’s alright. I promise I’ll come back soon and actually visit.”

“Sure thing honey, and I’m holding you up to that! Once a month, mister!”

“Alright, alright,” Keith laughed. 

“So what’ll it be?” Julie asked, making her way behind the glass display. 

“I’ll take some pistachio cookies and...hmm..how about two of the cherry cannolis.”

“Alrighty.” Julie grabbed the baked goods from the display counter and placed them into two small paper bags. “There ya go!”

“Thanks Julie. Here, keep the change.” Keith handed her a ten, and proceeded to make his way out the store so she couldn’t refuse, which she always did. 

“Keith! I don’t want your money! And this is too much!”

“Thanks again, Julie! See you soon!” Keith exited the shop with Lance close behind, waving from outside the window. He chuckled at Julie’s frowning face. 

“Alright, one more stop to go,” Keith announced to Lance, pulling his leg over the seat of his bike. “Here, hold onto these bags in your hands.”

“Okay then.” Lance placed the helmet on and took a seat behind Keith without question. He really did have so many questions, but he decided it’d probably be best to wait until their next destination to find out. 

 

The mystery destination was no more than a ten minute drive, but this time, Lance noticed, they were decently far from the city. The drive itself was windy and mostly uphill, through canyon roads. There were barely any lights, aside from the occasional street lamp, and Lance soon realized they had made their to the top of a large cliff. Keith parked the bike along the narrow and abandoned street, and they made their way up the street path until it came to an end. A sign that read _Top of The World Park_ grabbed his attention. 

Still, Lance didn’t say a word. The farther they walked from the sign, the darker it got, and the absence of artificial light was taken over by the natural light of the star-lit sky. Lance had no idea where Keith was leading him, and he silently thanked the gods he wasn’t afraid of the dark, but he continued to follow. They walked along dirt trails, lined by shallow bushes until they reached a steep dirt hill. It wasn’t particularly large, from what Lance could tell in the darkness of the night, but it was rather steep. 

“Just, be careful climbing up. It’s a bit steep and hard to see at night,” Keith warned. “Just stay close behind me and follow my lead.”

Lance nodded and continued to follow Keith up the sheer path, the bags of cookies still in hand. At one point he slipped a bit, and he seriously thought he was going to fall, but without fail he and Keith finally made it to the top. And _damn_ , was it worth it. 

On one side of the elevation, the oceanic coast stretched on for miles and miles, lights distinguishing the border of the land from the sea. On the other side, the entire inland was lit up, glowing for as far as one could see. It was a spectacular sight, one Lance had never once seen before. Never had he seen the anything from such a perspective, so high up. It truly felt as if he truly were on top of the world. 

“What do you think?” Keith finally spoke up. 

“I...this is just...wow.” Lance couldn’t find the words. 

“I know. It’s my favorite place.” 

“How did you know about this place?”

“I found it accidentally, actually. One day I was just driving around aimlessly on my bike, and I just kept going up and up until I got here.”

“It’s amazing,” Lance said, knowing ‘amazing’ was an understatement.

“Come on, there’s a bench over here.” Keith led Lance to the bench facing the glowing side of the inland cities. “I like to watch the ocean side during the daytime and the city side during the night...cookie?”

Keith took a pistachio cookie from one of the paper bags Lance held. 

“Sure, thank-” Before he could even take the cookie from him, Keith had placed it into Lance’s mouth. 

_...Did Keith just feed me…?_

Lance prayed the dark of the night was enough to hide his blush, and proceeded to chew. The cookie was savory and delicious, but not too sweet. It melted in his mouth. 

“Fuck, that’s a good cookie,” Lance admitted. 

“Right? I love them because they’re not very sweet, and I don’t like things that are really sweet.”

Keith took another cookie out of the bag, this time for himself. 

“So…” Lance wasn’t sure how to word any of the questions currently on his mind. He had so many, especially after their encounter with Julie. He realized he actually knew very little about Keith, and truly wanted to know more. But, he didn’t know where to start. He didn’t even know _what_ was alright to ask.

“Hmm?” 

Lance held his breath and went for it. 

“I know you worked for her and all...but how do you know Julie?” Lance looked away from Keith and to the lights of the cities in front of him, praying he didn’t just touch on a sensitive subject. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well...I just..you both seemed really close. Like family almost...but..”

“But I’m an orphan?” Keith finished his sentence, but lacking an offensive tone, much to Lance’s surprise. Still, the subject matter felt uncomfortable. 

“Y-yeah...at least that’s what Pidge told me…” 

“It’s true...but you don’t have to act weird about it. I’ve grown to accept it.”

“Okay...”

“To answer your question...Julie was..my mom’s best friend. They had been friends for years, ever since my mom came here.”

“Oh...well, I guess that makes more sense then..” Lance still couldn’t help but wonder. “Why didn’t she take care of you then.” _Fuck me and my big unfiltered mouth._

“It’s not that simple,” Keith answered, surprisingly unmoved by Lance’s blunt question. “She...has issues. Health issues, actually. And, well..she really couldn’t afford to take care of a kid, even though she’d never admit it...I mean, Christ, she offered and begged me to come stay with her..but I just..I couldn’t put that burden on her. It wasn’t fair.”

Lance wasn’t sure how to respond, but part of him wanted to know more, not for the sake of being nosy, but for the sake of just getting to know Keith. He wanted to read him, and know all that there was to know about the boy that made his mind spin in circles and his pulse run wild. 

“Y-you don’t have to tell me, but...what...what were they like…?”

“My parents?” 

Lance only nodded, hoping he wasn’t prying too much and making Keith uncomfortable. 

“Well...to be honest I don’t really remember...I just remember that they were ridiculously in love. In my memories..they were always happy.” Keith paused a moment before continuing, as if contemplating whether he himself wanted to go into it, but he continued. “According to Julie, my mom..she was beautiful. She had these big blue eyes and she was very kind, but firey. My dad though, was the serious type, but also very kind and passionate. They met while my dad was studying culinary arts abroad in Italy one summer. My mom was teaching a cooking class in a small northern town and, well, Julie said that at first, my dad fell in love with her cooking, and then he fell in love with her.” Keith paused again, this time to chuckle. “Sounds like a cheesy romance film, doesn’t it?” 

“Yes,” Lance agreed. “But actually I’m enjoying it.” Lance smiled at Keith, prompting him to continue his story. 

“At the end of summer, he proposed, and offered to take her back to America, or stay with her and her family in Bolzano and help them run their family restaurant. But, apparently her family didn’t approve of their relationship…”

“Seriously?” 

“Yeah...I guess they disapproved of a mixed-race marriage.”

“Where was your dad from?”

“He was originally from South Korea, but moved here to the U.S. when he was just a baby.”

“Oh...okay, continue..” 

Keith glanced at Lance with one eyebrow raised. 

“Really? I’m not boring you or anything?”

“Really,” Lance admitted. “I, um...really like getting to know these things about you.”

Keith shifted his eyes away from Lance, this time becoming the victim of a flushed face. 

“Um..alright...so, my parents...uhh….oh yeah...so my mom, Julie told me she was the rebellious type so, after her parents denied my dad’s proposal, her and my dad pretty much ran away to the states, and started their own business. They opened their own bakery, and it’s the same one we visited just earlier, except Julie took over after they...um...left.”

“That’s...actually really neat how Julie kept the business going.” 

“Yeah, it really is...And that’s how I ended up there at such a young age...Even though I was at the orphanage, they still let me regularly visit and spend time with Julie in the shop, and to be honest, until I met Shiro, she was the only sort of family I had.” 

“Well...I can tell she cares about you a lot.” 

“Yeah...I’m lucky to have had her around growing up.” 

“Thanks for..um..sharing all of this with me…” Lance couldn’t help but look away from Keith’s gaze, blushing. He felt strangely special that Keith was opening up to him about something so personal. It was a side of Keith he had never known or expected to know. 

“Lance...you really don’t want to know?”

“What?” Lance wasn’t entirely sure what Keith meant, but he had a feeling, and it wasn’t something he wanted to know. 

“Don’t you want to know...how they...died?” 

“I don’t...I don’t need to know.” Lance wasn’t lying. He didn’t need to know, nor did he particularly want to know. It wasn’t his place to know, he decided. 

“You’re so weird.” Keith sighed. “Honestly, that’s the first thing anyone asks at the orphanage. It’s introduction protocol. ‘Hi I’m so-and-so, you are? Nice to meet you, by the way what happened to your parents?’ That’s how it always went.”

“Keith...you really don’t...you don’t have to...you’re not at the orphanage anymore.”

“The worst part of it is, it’s ironically fucked up as hell.” Keith sounded almost amused at his own words. 

“Keith…”

“Honestly, I must be fucked up in the head or something.” 

“Keith...stop…let's talk about something else.”

_Why is Keith acting like this...he really isn’t okay...is he?_

“So...ironic…” 

Lance noticed Keith’s grip on the cookie bag was too strong at the sound of crinkling paper, and even in the dark he saw the tensity in his clench, nails digging into his own palm. He was shaking. 

“Keith!” Lance grabbed Keith’s hand and briskly pulled it away, allowing the bag of cookies to fall to the ground. He finally had Keith’s full attention, and as he sat there, looking back at the darker haired boy, he realized Keith was not okay. He trembled. His eyes were glassy. And his brows were tensely pushed together, as if desperately trying to hold back any sort of emotion that had been locked behind his facade. 

Without hesitation, Lance pulled Keith into his arms, holding him hard, continuing to hold him as he shook. With sadness, anger, guilt, it didn’t matter. Lance swore he’d hold this boy for as long as he needed to, until these city lights drowned them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Top of the World' is a real place in Laguna Beach, and it's actually one of my fav places ever<3
> 
>  
> 
> And can I just say how amazing you all are? I know I say this like every chapter but jfc you guys make me stoked to write this and your comments make me smile like a damn idiot


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit about Lance's backstory this time, followed by more lovely awkward moments

The two boys stayed like that for awhile. Keith didn’t cry, aside from the single tear that slid down his face when he found himself wrapped up in Lance’s thin arms. The darker haired boy didn’t cry, but he trembled under the sudden emotions that overwhelmed him. The boy was too good at suppressing his feelings; he was too used to the numbness that came with constantly blocking out the feelings he felt desperate to keep out. Unfortunately, he couldn’t accomplish this all of the time, and although it was rare, he had his moments that felt as if every emotion he had kept locked away for so long came crashing down on him, all at once. He couldn’t stop it, and it terrified him at times. Still, something about Lance’s embrace warmed him, in more ways than one, and the anxiety melted away the longer and tighter the tanned boy held on. Lance had no intention of letting go until Keith gently pushed him away, composing himself before he spoke. 

“Sorry,” Keith whispered, noticing the worried look in Lance’s eyes. “I...I lose myself a bit sometimes...sorry if I scared you.”

“Don’t...It’s my fault,” Lance replied. “I was insensitive to ask you all these personal questions..I’m sorry.”

“No, Lance, seriously you didn’t do anything wrong...I just..sometimes...I haven’t gotten like this in a while, and I just...I don’t know how to explain it but..please, don’t worry.”

“Still…”

Keith realized the concern in Lance’s face wasn’t subsiding, and the last thing he wanted to do was worry Lance. Especially on a night where he finally had a chance to be alone with this boy, outside from the confinement of their dorm room. Keith felt this was his chance. By some miracle, this night became his chance to get closer to this boy who he couldn’t help but want to know and explore, despite their history of bickering. Keith had grown so curious about Lance as of lately, and he couldn’t pinpoint why. Perhaps it was that he only recently noticed the brilliance of his smile, the warmth of his skin, or the attractively lean curves of his body. Perhaps it was the race of his pulse when Lance’s soft lips were pressed against his own, and the taste of cherries that filled his senses. Or maybe it was the way Lance’s ears turned red or the way he stuttered most of the time Keith was around lately.. No matter what it was, Lance had become the peak of his interest, and all Keith wanted was to unravel him more. 

“Lance, please.” Keith placed a reassuring hand on the taller boy’s shoulder. “Let’s just talk about something else..”

“Okay...like what?”

“Hmm..” Keith thought for a moment and realized he didn’t know much about Lance aside from his nerdy obsessions. “I told you a bit about me so...tell me about yourself.”

“Me?” Lance gave a sarcastic laugh. “To be honest, I’m not that interesting..”

“And I am?” Keith laughed. “How about...your family? What are they like?”

“Seriously..?” 

“Come on..I’m curious,” Keith admitted. 

“Alright..well, let’s see...my parents divorced when I was like eight. My dad remarried and I have three stepbrothers and a stepsister... My mom..she’s like, crazy but I love her. And yeah..that’s about it...pretty average, right?”

“Jeez, for someone who loves to boast about how great you are to everyone else, you sure suck at actually talking about your life,” Keith teased. 

“Oh shut up,” Lance retorted. “Fine...here’s the _detailed_ version...um, my dad, so he’s an artist. He illustrates children’s books. And my mom, she’s an orthodontist...though I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that I have perfect teeth…” Lance flashed a shit-eating grin and Keith playfully smacked Lance’s arm.

“Anyways...after their divorce my dad met my stepmom and they married, and she had three sons and a daughter from her previous marriage, so things got a bit crowded at home, at least more than what I was used to.”

“So you were an only-child before that?” Keith asked. 

“Yeah..actually my mom never even wanted kids until she met my dad. I guess he always dreamed of having a big happy family, which wasn’t exactly what she wanted. I mean..she can barely take care of herself so I get it...but even so, she’s the best,” Lance chuckled. “Honestly, I couldn’t imagine it any other way.” 

Keith smiled. He couldn’t help but love the sound of Lance’s genuine laugh. 

“So, you lived with your dad then?” 

“Actually, only until high school. My stepmom kinda got fed up with me…” Lance continued to laugh. “Sorry...it’s just funny now that I think about it to be honest. I was such a little shit back then.”

“What? Don’t tell me someone actually didn’t get along with the amazing and charismatic Lance?” Keith joked, earning him an arm smack from Lance this time. 

“I am completely amazing and charismatic! And..okay, it’s not like we didn’t get along..well actually..okay I’ll just tell you. Oh God, just don’t judge me. Only Pidge knows about my dark history.”

“It can’t be any worse than what I already know about you.” Keith smirked. 

“Fuck you. So..I admit, I was a little shit. My dad and stepmom really pushed me into attending a private Christian high school, one of the top in the state. I couldn’t care less, but they thought it’d be good for me or whatever, so I went...and I got kicked out after my first semester.”

“What? Seriously?”

“Yeah..I kinda got caught smoking pot in the chapel bathroom…”

“You’re shitting me.”

“Dude, I’m serious! My stepmom, she thought it was because I was rebelling against her and her marriage with my dad and said I would be a bad influence if I stuck around her ‘perfect’ children, so she told my dad I needed to stay with my mom until I straightened out. But like, dude, I never really tried to ‘rebel’ or whatever she called it. I was totally chill with their marriage and everything. I literally just wanted to..you know..smoke a little and chill. That school was stressful as fuck.” 

Keith couldn’t contain himself. Before he knew it, he was laughing aloud, as the image of Lance, of all people, smoking pot in a church bathroom was much too amusing. 

“Sorry...I...just...I’m sorry...the chapel..really…?” Keith spoke between his laughter. 

“The chapel _bathroom_. Shit, I’m not stupid enough to smoke in the actual chapel.”

“Oh, excuse me...I’m sure God wouldn’t mind then,” Keith teased through his chuckles. “Okay..sorry, sorry I’m done.”

“Whatever…” Lance grumbled. “That school was dumb as shit. I was forced to wear a god-awful uniform and everything. Everyone there was a stuck up asshole. And I’m pretty sure I was like, only one of three Latino kids in the whole damn school.”

“So what happened after?” 

“Oh, I just moved back with my mom and started going to public school. That’s when I met Pidge and yeah...things got better. I actually got good grades and so on...and here I am.”

“And your stepmom?”

“After a few months she allowed me to visit and stay over on weekends and then after a bit she invited me to come back and stay with them, but I decided to just stay with my mom and visit dad on weekends. I love my big step-family, but it’s really nice being with my mom, just the two of us. It’s just very- fuck...was that a raindrop?”

“Huh?” Keith glanced up at the cloudy night sky, as a droplet of water hit his nose. Soon, light rain began to sprinkle them both, quickly picking up pace. “Shit, we should go.”

Keith and Lance made their way down the dirt hill they had been sitting atop, careful not to slip on the dampening soil. By the time the two made it to Keith’s bike, the rain was coming down hard. Keith cursed internally, disappointed that his time alone with Lance had been cut so short so abruptly.

 

Twenty minutes later the boys found themselves running through their campus parking lot to make it to their dorm room as quickly as possible, despite the fact that they were both already drenched completely through their clothes. 

“This fucking sucks!!” Lance yelled through the rain while running beside Keith. 

“No shit!” 

Together they ran through the wet night until they reached the dorm building, immediately stripping themselves of their soaked clothing the moment they made it to their room. At first, the boys were just desperate to get out of their freezing, sopping wet clothes. It wasn’t until they both wore only but their boxers, that Lance became aware of the situation..too aware…

Keith. Almost naked. In front of him. Soaking wet. Hair’s a fucking mess. And wet. And his abs. Wet. His chest. Wet. His underwear… _fucking hell._

“I-I um, am going to go shower real quick to warm up!” Lance grabbed his shower towel and slippers and practically sprinted from the room and to the bathroom down the short hall. He tried to think of anything but Keith’s wet body or the way his wet briefs clung to him, revealing a clear outline of his length… _shit_.

Lance turned the knob and allowed the heat of the shower to consume him. The warmth was nice, extremely nice, considering he had been near freezing the entire way back to campus. He tried to focus only on the way his body seemed to thaw under the head of the shower, leaving pleasureful goosebumps up and down his arms. He tried to focus only on how incredibly good this shower felt and not on how incredibly _good_ Keith had just looked. It wasn’t working. 

Lance felt heat now, not only from his shower, but from down below, where his mental image of Keith’s near naked body was having quite the effect. _Fuck it._

Lance reached down to touch his area of need, excusing it as him needing just a quick release after the long and stressful day rather than giving into the reality that he was about to masturbate to Keith.. _because_ of Keith. But, it was too late. The image of Keith’s wet and bare body filled his mind, and soon he found himself struggling to restrain his moans. He had noticed the shower room was empty when he arrived, but still, he tried hard to hold back and used one hand to cover his mouth as precaution. His other hand worked at his full erection, pumping and picking up speed as he imagined Keith’s slick body against his own. Unable to hold back much too soon, Lance removed the hand he held at his mouth and reached down to press at the small entrance of his rear. A soft whimper escaped his lips at the sensitive touch in conjunction with the pleasure that filled his member in hand. 

“K-Keith…” Lance moaned under his breath. 

He craved more. Lance slowly inserted his thin finger into the tight entrance, maintaining the pace of his other hand up front. It took him only a moment to adjust before inserting a second finger, gently stretching his opening further. He moved back and forth slowly against his long fingers, failing not to think of Keith’s own fingers inside of him. He moaned his name once more, this time almost breathless from the immense pleasure that was spreading quickly throughout his body. 

“Mnnghh...Keith….”

Soon the speed of his fingers matched the speed of his pumping hand as he thrusted into his digits harder and harder. Lance thought back to when he walked in on Keith doing this same act. He thought of the look on Keith’s face before he realized Lance’s presence. He thought about the look of pleasure that was evident on his face, from his flushed cheeks to his parted lips...He thought about their kiss from just the day before. He thought about the way his soft lips crushed against his own, and the way Keith clutched onto his t-shirt, _desperate_. He thought about how Keith’s lower body felt against his own as their lips fought, trying to claim one another’s…

“Keith...nnnghh...ah..ahhh..!”

Lance came hard, and it took everything in him not to scream Keith’s name, even though he was certain nobody had entered the restroom the entirety of his shower. He basked in the feeling of his orgasm before realization of what he had just done sank in. He collapsed to the tile floor and ran his hands through his wet hair. _Holy fuck._

 

Keith froze at the sound of his name. It couldn’t be, he thought. But then it happened again. This time there was no mistaking it. He heard his name once more, through the muffled moans that escaped Lance’s lips. 

Shortly after Lance had left the room, Keith decided a hot shower was also a good idea and made his way to the shower room. He had decided it was a good idea, and then he heard the moans, _almost_ masked by the sound of the running shower. Keith swallowed hard. He didn’t know what to do, so he just stood there..listening. Was Lance really.. _masturbating_ to _him_? A jolt of arousal spread through Keith, and all he could imagine was what Lance must sound like when he’s not trying to hold back...what he must look like when he’s pleasuring himself… How would Lance look and how would he sound if Keith had the chance to make a _mess_ out of him..? It was all he could think about in his frozen state. It was all that he could imagine until…

“K-Keith?!”

“Oh! H-hey…”

Keith must’ve been too lost in his fantasies to notice the sound of Lance’s shower shut off followed by him exiting the shower. _Oh crap._

“Wha-what are you doing here??” Lance was horrified, and it was evident on his face. Keith couldn’t help but feel amused, yet equally horrified. He knew the only way around this was to pretend he had just heard absolutely nothing. 

“I, uh, just thought a warm shower sounded nice..I was pretty cold from the rain and all..”

“Oh...yeah, um, makes sense…did you just get here…?” Lance’s face was flushed beet red, comparable to the deep color of his ears. 

“Yeah...I literally just walked in,” Keith lied. 

“Oh...okay well...enjoy your shower.” And with that, Lance exited the shower room as quickly as he could.

\---

Several days had passed since Lance’s night out with Keith. Several days, and Lance still didn’t get the chance, or rather find the courage, to ask him about that fucking _kiss_. Wasn’t the point of Pidge bailing on the movie to talk to Keith about what had happened that day before? Wasn’t Lance supposed to take advantage of their night out, and at least just _ask_ about it? _No, but you avoid it but choose to jerk off to the dude instead...yeah that’s productive, isn’t it…_

“Uh..Lance?”

“Hm?” 

The sound of Shiro’s voice brought him back from his thoughts. He couldn’t help it though. It was literally _all_ he could think about. And now he just wanted to kick himself. 

“Did you hear me?” Shiro asked. The whole gang was hanging out together at the student study center, working on homework and enjoying some late lunch. 

“Sorry..I sorta spaced out..” Lance admitted. 

“You know, you tend to do that _a lot_ lately,” Pidge added. Lance shifted his eyes to the bright eyed girl, exchanging a disapproving look. She knew he still hadn’t talked with Keith, even after she ‘blessed’ him with the ‘most perfect opportunity’ (in her words).

“Sure.. So, what were you saying Shiro?” 

“I was telling everyone about the Valentine’s day semi-formal next weekend that Allura’s sorority is hosting. It’s invite only and she says we’re all invited,” Shiro announced for the second time. 

“Wait, a semi-formal? As in a dance?” 

“Yeah, it’s a big annual dance that’s held each year the weekend closest to Valentine’s day,” Shiro explained. “Would you guys be down?”

“I’m not really much of a dancer...but yeah, I guess it’s better than sitting at home alone,” Hunk reasoned. “I’m in if you guys are.”

“Sure…” Pidge agreed, though not too assuredly. 

“Pidge, you don’t have to go if you really don’t want to…” Shiro couldn’t help but notice the vexing tone of her voice. 

The short girl sighed defeatedly. 

“It’s...fine. I’m just not much of a dancer either and sororities aren’t my..thing, I guess. But I’ll go if everyone else is going.”

“Okay..and you guys?” Shiro directed at Lance and Keith. 

“I actually love to dance,” Lance announced with confidence. 

“Really? You..dance?” Keith asked, genuinely surprised. The question caught Lance slightly off guard and suddenly he was reminded again of Keith’s presence at the table and his current dilemma. 

“Y-yeah...a bit.”

“Well...I don’t dance but, sure, count me in buddy,” Keith accepted Shiro’s invitation. 

“So...we just have to dress up kinda nice and show up?” Hunk asked. 

“Yeah, oh, I also forgot to mention,” Shiro added. “This year it’s 80s themed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say how fucking stoked I am to write this Valentine's day chapter?
> 
> I admit, I'm a sucker for cheesy 80s music


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter before all hell that is the Valentine's event breaks loose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I didn't update on Friday and I'm SO SORRY.  
> School just started so college has been busy and work has been a crazy hell as well AND I've been working on an original novel  
> I need to learn to manage my time better, but just know that I love you all so much and thank you for being so patient with my chapter updates. <3

“So..you’re getting him a gift, right?”

“Huh?”

“Keith...duh,” Pidge stated, folding her arms. 

“I..wait, why do I need to get him a gift?” Lance wasn’t quite sure what his spectacled friend was getting at. 

“Dude. Valentine’s day.”

Lance felt his face heat up at the mention of the holiday, now understanding fully well where this conversation was headed. He groaned. 

“It-it’s not like we’re dating, okay? That would just be...weird if I got him something…right?”

“God, you two are hopeless. Seriously, how much longer are you both going to let this drag out?” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lance knew too well what she meant. 

“It’s supposed to mean..grow a pair and confront the boy, because he’s certainly not confronting you,” Pidge announced bluntly. 

“Why should I have to be the one to confront him? He’s the one who started everything! He’s the one that..you know… _kissed_ me,” Lance retorted. 

“Yeah and so, if this were a game of chess, you would’ve wasted too much time making _your_ move.” Pidge took a sip of her hot coffee, and leaned forward in her chair. “But then again, I guess you never were too good at board games.”

“Shut up…” Lance mumbled. “But what if...I don’t know what move to make.”

“Oh my God, Lance. He took you out on a _date_.”

“That was not a date. That was all your evil doing.”

“Oh please. He took you on the back of his motorcycle and to Top of the World...Are you shitting me? That’s like, straight out of a romance novel.”

“Nothing even happened,” Lance tried to explain. “We just sorta talked, but that’s it. So shut up about that romance shit.”

“Whatever you say, Lance…” Pidge paused a moment. “I know you said the other day that you didn’t know..but, really, how do you feel about him? ”

Lance sighed. He had been too dishonest with himself, and it was becoming tiresome. He wasn’t sure if he could deny the dizziness and the heat that came from being around Keith much longer. Still, he couldn’t explain why he felt this way recently, considering the past six months, Keith was the last person Lance could get along with. But lately he realized he had never given Keith a chance from the beginning. But then suddenly, Keith gave _him_ a chance. Keith had discovered Lance’s secret, and he didn’t even judge or make fun of him. Instead, Keith allowed Lance to open up about this passion that he had never been able to open up to anyone about. At that time, Lance felt free to be himself in front of the last person he’d ever expected to. Before that day, Lance had always just seen Keith as some annoyingly pretty jerk. 

“I feel...let’s see...I used to have a hard time being around him...and I still do, it’s just..for an entirely different reason.”

“So...you like him?”

“When you put it like that it sounds so...I don’t know…” Lance knew what she was trying to do, and he was going to lose. 

“Yeah but...you _like_ him, right? You like Keith?”

Lance groaned once more. 

“Yes! God damnit, yes, okay?!” 

“Yes what?” 

“Yes, I like him! I _like_ Keith!!” Lance noticed his small outburst had earned him quite a few stares from other people in the coffee shop. Pidge didn’t seem to mind though, as a triumphant grin grew across her face. 

“See? Though, to be honest I sensed the sexual tension between you two from the beginning. He was _always_ checking you out.” 

“Wh-what?”

“Dude, you’re oblivious as heck. You didn’t even know Keith was gay until like, two weeks ago.”

“Yeah..well..I didn’t know you were gay either, so what’s that have to do with it?”

“Proving my point even more...And I’m pretty sure Keith’s got you figured out better than you do yourself. Trust me...you are so much easier to read than you think, and terribly not as smooth as you think either,” Pidge chuckled. 

“You are so annoying sometimes. Besides, Keith was always an ass to me, so your logic makes no sense.” Lance found it impossible to believe Keith had ever been interested in him back then. 

“Of course it makes sense. You have clashing personalities, yet you’re both attracted to each other, and thus the result is sexual tension. Makes perfect sense,” the auburn-haired girl explained. “But, seeing how flustered you get about him, I’m sure it’s far more than mere sexual tension at this point. And that’s why you should get him something for Valentine’s day. You’re supposed to do that for the one you like.”

“But I...I’ve never even done anything for anyone for Valentine’s day. Don’t guys just usually get their girlfriends flowers or chocolates or something lame and cheesy?”

“Yes, which is why you need to be more creative,” Pidge advised. “Make him something.”

“Sadly I’m not the creative type…”

“Hmm...how about...wait a minute. You’re a really good singer, right? You should sing him something.”

Lance looked at Pidge and tried to determine whether she was being serious or just making fun of the fact that he used to sing in their high school choir. She looked completely serious. 

“There...there’s no way. Hell no. Are you kidding me??”

“Come on...that would be amazing! Keith would probably melt.” Suddenly Pidge gasped, as another idea struck her. “The semi-formal! There’s going to be karaoke, I read it on the invitation!! Oh my God, this is the perfect opportunity, Lance. You _have_ to sing him something. Pleeeease give me something to at least look forward to at this dumb event.”

“In front of all those people?!” Lance couldn’t believe she was being serious. Sure he had been in choir for three years of high school, but he had never sang a song completely solo in front of anyone before, let alone an audience. As self-assured as he typically was around people, the thought of karaoke scared him shitless. 

“Unless you have a better idea…Besides, even though you're shy about it, you do have an awesome voice. I’m serious.”

Lance seriously considered it. He tried to imagine the look on Keith’s face as he sang to him, dedicating an entire song to this one boy, in front of all those people… _But, would he even like it? What song would I choose? Would I just be embarrassing myself...or worse...would I embarrass Keith?_

“I...I’ll consider it,” Lance admitted. 

“Well, you’ve got about four more days to consider it, so think fast.”

\---

Three days had passed since Lance’s conversation with Pidge and it was all he could think about. Valentine’s day. Singing to Keith. Which song to sing…Fuck.

Lance hadn’t seen much of his roommate the past few days, as he had a large group project that was due by the end of the week, so most of his time had been spent at the library. Lance was somewhat grateful for this because he still had a hard time facing Keith since their awkward shower encounter. 

The Valentine’s event would be 80s themed, so that at least narrowed his song selection. Lance did have a song in mind, but he realized that by singing it he’d pretty much be declaring his feelings for Keith in front of everyone...and he wondered if Keith even felt the same way, despite what Pidge said. He couldn’t help but overthink it. Even if Keith was truly attracted to him...did that mean he _liked_ him, the same way Lance liked him? 

Lance collapsed onto his bed, releasing a frustrating sigh. The song played on repeat through his earphones, and each time he listened to it, the more he realized how perfectly it described his feelings. It was ridiculously cheesy, but then again, what 80s love song wasn’t? 

In an attempt to take his mind off of everything, Lance pulled out his laptop and put in the dvd to one of his favorite anime series. As much as he tried to get into his show, it wasn’t enough to distract him. He watched the screen of colorful animation, yet Keith consumed his mind, driving him nearly crazy. Halfway through the first episode, the sound of the door opening caught his attention. Keith entered, looking beyond exhausted, circles framing his dark blue eyes.

“Rough day?” Lance asked, trying to sound casual, trying to sound like he wasn’t literally just fretting over this boy in his head. 

“You could say that.” Keith threw his heavy book-bag onto his bed. “Watcha watching?”

“Oh, um, just this show I really like. Hunk got me into it.”

“Oh! I know that one,” Keith claimed, glancing at the screen on Lance’s bed. “Titan Attack, or something?”

“Attack on Titan,” Lance corrected him. “Have you seen it?”

“Just the first episode. It was on Netflix so I tried watching it one night...Mind if I join you?” Before Lance could respond, Keith had made his way onto the bed, situating himself right beside Lance, who was internally screaming at the close proximity. 

“Y-yeah...I’m halfway through the first episode.” 

“This part’s pretty brutal, huh? I didn’t realize you liked this kind of stuff too.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lance frowned. 

“I mean...I thought you were more into those ‘cutesy’ kind of games and anime.” 

“My games are not cutesy!” Lance defended. “I mean, I guess a bit, but those are like, explicit!”

“Yeah but it’s like...cute porn or something.” 

“Whatever...Call it whatever you want. But I have a wide variety of interests, just so you know!”

Keith couldn’t help but laugh. Lance was so cute when he tried to act defensive. 

“Alright, alright. So you like cute porn _and_ Attack on Titan.”

“Shut up. Now you’re just making fun of me.”

“I know.” The darker haired boy admitted. “I can’t help it. You’re cute when you’re pouty.”

Lance’s ears began to turn red, even if Keith was still only messing with him to get a reaction out of him. He tried to brush off that last comment. 

“Wha-whatever...Let’s just watch.”

\---

The next few days passed by quickly. Too quickly. It was the day of the Valentine’s semi-formal, and Lance had no idea what to wear. He must’ve scanned through his closet a hundred times, indecisive and unsure about how to even dress for an 80s themed event, without looking too ridiculous. Out of desperation, he decided to call over Shiro. Hunk dressed decently, and Pidge had pretty much no sense of fashion. Keith...well, he’d rather die than ask Keith for fashion advice. And Shiro, well, he was probably the most fashion-forward of the bunch. He always looked effortlessly good, no matter what he wore.

“I’m surprised you didn’t just ask Keith...He’s your roommate and I think he’s got pretty nice style…” Shiro said, looking through Lance’s closet and piecing together different items of clothes. 

“I guess...But he’s busy right now.” Lance wasn’t exactly lying. “He’s finishing up his group project today before the party tonight.”

“Ah. Well, how about this combo?” Shiro held up a navy blazer with black trim, paired with a pale blue button up and black slim fitted pants. “And the final touch…” Shiro took out a black bow tie from his pant pocket. “I own quite a few bow ties for some reason, and I think this will give it a good finishing touch.”

“Wow...nice. You don’t think it’s too formal?” Lance asked. 

“Nah. I think you’ll look awesome. I’ll be wearing a bowtie too.”

“Thanks man. I actually like dressing up...but I can be pretty clueless when it comes to fashion.” 

Shiro chuckled. 

“No worries. And you’re welcome. Hey...can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what’s up?” Lance was taken back a bit by Shiro’s sudden change in tone. 

“I’ve known her for years...but I know you’re the closest to her. I just feel like...Pidge...she’s been acting weird lately. Or is it just me? It just seems like, honestly, she’s been avoiding me and especially...Allura, and I thought they were really close last semester...Do you maybe know something?”

Lance froze for a moment, remembering his conversation with Pidge. He remembered how hurt she was, and had no idea how to respond to Shiro. Shiro was his friend. He didn’t want to lie. But still, he didn’t feel it was his place to say anything.

“I...I’m sorry Shiro. I can’t lie to you, but I can’t say anything either,” Lance worded carefully. “She did open up to me recently about it...but it’s not my place to say. You should ask her about it directly.” 

“Sorry...you’re right. I didn’t mean to put you in an uncomfortable situation. I’ll talk to her.” Shiro gave a small and reassuring smile. “Tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, shit.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Love is a Battlefield"  
> Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> awkward noises...I'M BACK.  
> I think if I ever go through a hiatus that long again I will absolutely cry. 
> 
> I'm  
> Sorry  
> <3
> 
> I hope you enjoy. Even while I was away I got many supportive messages and it just made me so happy. I'm very sorry I couldn't update for nearly two months. Things have been very hectic. Please look forward to many more chapters <3

Lance glanced at his watch. He had arrived to the event fifteen minutes prior, and all he could think about was Keith’s whereabouts. He had mentioned he’d be running late because of his group project, but still...Lance couldn’t help but feel anxious as he waited. 

He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets to keep himself from fidgeting and appearing awkward. He looked around at the venue, taking in the vintage pastel decor and the sight of variable wardrobe choices. It was an 80s themed event, yet Lance couldn’t help but cringe at some of the guests’ apparel. Lance wasn’t necessarily an expert when it came to fashion..but still, it was hard to ignore the rather putrid lime green dress that Maya from history class pranced across the dance room in. 

A combination of upbeat 80s music and modern mainstream alternated through the large speakers situated on both sides of the dance floor. Next door was a room nearly equivalent in size, featuring a small stage, karaoke screen, microphones, and enough room for a decent-sized audience. Lance cringed at the thought of himself singing in front of such a large group and became suddenly nervous. But he had made up his mind, and he was going to go through with it...or at least he’d try after a few drinks. The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous and stupidly cheesy it seemed.The more he thought about it, the more nauseous he felt. He went to look for Shiro. 

He found his handsome friend leaning against the open bar on the far end of the dance room. Lance couldn’t help but admire how particularly good Shiro looked tonight in his 80s attire, bow-tie and all. He always looked good, but damn, he could make anything look like it was meant for him. Lance felt suddenly grateful for Shiro’s help in picking out his current outfit for the evening. It wasn’t usual that Lance gave a second thought about what he had on, but tonight, especially tonight, he wanted to look good. For Keith. 

“I’ll take anything,” Lance announced as he approached the bar. Shiro laughed and requested a gin tonic from the bartender. Moments later Lance felt his nerves begin to calm at the taste of lime and liquor through his thin straw. 

“You alright?” Shiro shot him a curious glance, and Lance realized he had already sucked up most of his iced drink. 

“Um, yeah. Just not used to attending stuff like this I guess…” Lance tried to sound as casual as he could. 

“Yeah, it’s a bit different, right?” Shiro agreed. “Almost like high school prom, but with alcohol and no curfew.” 

Lance forced a chuckle, trying not to let his nerves show. 

“Where’s Allura by the way?” Lance realized he hadn’t seen her yet. He had shown up with only Shiro to the event. Pidge had insisted he go ahead without her, as she had a bit of online homework to finish up before she could come, and Hunk agreed to wait for her so she wouldn’t have to show up to the event alone. 

“She’s...um, with her other friends right now,” Shiro replied, and Lance couldn’t help but notice the uneasiness in his voice. 

“Dude..everything alright?” 

“Yeah...Actually, no. I don’t know,” Shiro admitted defeatedly. “She...well we...we kind of got into a bit of an argument after I left your dorm earlier.”

“What??”

“Yeah. I don’t know. It was weird...After talking with you I tried to open up with her about confronting Pidge and she became suddenly upset, out of nowhere. She said to leave it alone...but I don’t know why she’d say that. I thought she would be happy that I want to work things out between the three of us, you know?”

“I think…” Lance sighed. “I think it’s a lot more complicated than you might think.”

“I just don’t get it. Pidge isn’t here yet, is she?”

“No...soon though, I think.” But Lance wondered if that would be such a good thing. He tried not to think about it. His anxiety was already getting to him enough over a completely different matter…

“I need to sort this stuff out as soon as I…”

Shiro didn’t finish his sentence, and Lance quickly noticed why. Pidge had entered the room, and despite how crowded it had already grown over the last twenty minutes, she was hard to miss. 

She had apparently traded in her glasses for contacts, and her large brown eyes seemed brighter than they ever had. Lance realized this was probably the first time he’d even seen her without her large round spectacles. Her lashes were longer and darker, and a subtle pink eyeshadow sparkled behind them. Her lips matched the rosy flush of her cheeks, and her hair fell to her shoulders in soft, tamed curls. 

She wore a dress. The pastel pink fabric gathered around her waist perfectly, as if it were made for her, with a sweetheart neckline that exposed her small, freckled shoulders and a simple pearl necklace to adorn her slim, pale neck. The fabric from the waist down puffed outwards, like that of a ballerina’s. It was simple, but elegant, and it suited her entirely. 

“Pidge...wow,” was all that Lance could say. She giggled nervously in appreciation. Lance wondered if Shiro realized his mouth was hanging open. He nudged his speechless friend. 

“You..you look really pretty, Pidge,” Shiro finally said, his own face blushing pink. 

“Thanks.” She averted her eyes from Shiro, a subtle feeling of guilt washing over her. She was certain he realized by now that she had been well avoiding him the past month. 

Hunk followed behind Pidge. “Hey, do I look pretty too?” 

He was dressed in brown trousers, a pastel yellow button up shirt, and white suspenders. And an off-white cardigan sweater sat loosely on his shoulders to complete the preppy look. It was simple, but fit the theme nicely. 

“Sure do, my man,” Lance responded with a high-five and handshake. “But really Pidge...I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dressed up...or wear makeup.”

“So?” She merely responded, pulling at one of her curls. 

“So...you look amazing. I mean, not that you look bad without makeup and stuff, uh...I just meant that-”

Pidge laughed. “Thanks. Marcie from Chinese class helped. She’s pretty good at makeup.”

“Yeah, I was pretty shocked too when I first saw her,” Hunk admitted. “I was like, woah, how did your hair grow so quickly? Yeah, apparently girls like to wear these things called extensions to make their hair longer?”

“Fascinating, I know.” Pidge rolled her eyes. “Keith’s not here yet?” She changed the subject, examining the large room of guests and decorations. 

“He’s finishing up a project or something. He’ll be here later,” Lance replied, trying to conceal the anxious edge in his voice. Pidge picked up on it right away, of course. 

“Shiro?” An unfamiliar male voice called out from behind Lance. Lance turned and found the source to be a dark blonde male, who looked several years older than himself. Like Shiro, he was well-built, but taller and more angular. He could easily be a model. 

“Justin?” Shiro’s face lit up at the sight. “Dude! What are you doing here?!” He approached the blonde man, pulling him into a friendly hug. 

“I’ve just moved back temporarily, and Melanie really wanted me to come! God, it’s been forever!”

“I can’t believe it! Wait, Melanie’s here?” 

“Yeah, she’s a freshman now, can you believe it? Joined the sorority and she thought it’d be a good chance for me to come see you and Keith again.”

“Oh wow,” Shiro laughed. “Can’t believe she’s already in college. Time sure does fly...Come here, I want you to meet my friends!”

Shiro brought his blonde friend named Justin into the circle. 

“I’d like you guys to meet Justin. I’ve known him for...wow, almost ten years now? We were in martial arts school together, but he moved a few years back when he started college.” Shiro continued, introducing each of them, starting with Pidge. 

“This is Pidge. You know Matt? It’s his sister. She’s a freshman here.”

“No way, so you’re Matt’s little sister! Man, I miss Matt. He’s still studying abroad, right?” 

Pidge’s face brightened upon learning Justin was also friends with Matt. She had always looked up to her brother, and anyone who was a friend of Matt’s must be good in her opinion. 

“Yeah, about one more year to go.” She beamed. 

“Good for him.” Justin smiled. “I’m sure you miss him a ton.” Pidge nodded, still smiling. Shiro continued his introductions. 

“This is Hunk, he’s a freshman also,” Shiro mentioned. 

Hunk held his hand out and shook Justin’s firmly. 

“And this is Lance. He and Pidge were good friends in high school.” 

“Good to meet you, Justin,” Lance greeted, reaching forward to shake hands. 

“Nice to meet all of you,” Justin expressed, revealing a nearly perfect set of pearly whites. “Is Keith around? I know it’s been awhile..but I’d like to see him...if that’s alright with him I mean.” 

Lance noticed Justin’s wide smile turn to one much smaller. And of course he couldn’t help but notice the sudden change in his tone when he mentioned Keith....

“Hey.” Shiro placed a reassuring hand on Justin’s shoulder. “I’m sure he’d love to see you. He’ll be here a bit later.”

And...of course Lance had to blurt out the first thing that came to his mind. 

“Huh? Am I missing something? Wait, how do you know Keith?” Lance questioned the handsome blonde, a little less than friendly. 

“Well, the three of us did go to the same martial arts school,” Shiro answered, as if it weren’t obvious. 

“Oh...makes sense.” Lance shrugged. Still, it didn’t explain Justin’s sudden change in attitude. But Lance didn’t have to ask again. 

“He’s also my ex,” Justin revealed. 

Lance felt the blood drain from his face followed by a sharp tinge of discomfort in his gut. 

“I’m sorry, your _what_?” 

Justin sighed and tried to maintain his smile. “Let’s just say, it didn’t work out and leave it at that.” 

Pidge shot Lance a look of warning, as if urging him to drop the matter. He couldn’t help but feel like he’d just been punched in the stomach. Lance bit his lower lip to keep himself from saying anything further. 

“I love this song. Come on,” Pidge interrupted as a new song filled the room, pulling Lance toward her. “Let’s dance.”

\---

“But, he told me he’s never even made out with anyone before! I mean, aside from the time you walked in on us!”

“What? Really?” Pidge questioned above the music, casually moving along with the beat. She didn’t actually love the song. In fact, she hardly even knew what it was, but she needed a quick excuse to get Lance away from the sudden situation known as Justin. 

“Yeah! I mean..isn’t that what people do when they date?” Lance danced along, but it was obvious he wasn’t really enjoying himself. 

“Whatever happened between them happened in the past, okay? It’s normal for people to have exes..” Pidge tried to think of words to diffuse the situation, but she knew Lance wouldn’t listen. 

“Did you see that guy? He looks like a goddamn model, Pidge! A model!” 

“Lance...please. Don’t let that guy ruin tonight.”

“I wonder if that’s the type of guy Keith actually likes…” Lance continued. “How the hell am I supposed to compare to _that_??” 

“Lance!!”

Pidge stopped dancing and reached up to grab Lance’s shoulders for his attention. 

“What.” He frowned. 

“Forget about that guy, Lance!! Don’t put yourself down like that...You are amazing, okay?”

Lance stood for a few long moments before turning his gaze to the ceiling, releasing a frustrated sigh. 

“Okay...sorry. I just feel so… _so_ …”

“Jealous?” Pidge finished. “Come on, Lance. You’re more confident than that,” She assured him with a smile. 

Lance smiled back, just slightly. 

“Just...if we see him later again… _especially_ around Keith...don’t say anything stupid, Lance.”

“I’ll...try.”

“I mean it Lance,” Pidge warned. “You know you’re bad at keeping your mouth shut..especially when you drink.”

“Okay, I know,” Lance admitted with a sheepish grin. “Thanks for getting me out of there...want to check out the karaoke room?”

Pidge nodded, but before she could follow Lance out of the crowd, the song transitioned into one much slower and a tap on her shoulder captured her attention. She turned around to find Shiro and his warm smile. 

“May I have this dance?” Shiro bent down slightly, extending his hand to hers. The gesture was so cheesy that Pidge couldn’t help but laugh and roll her eyes, despite how much she wished to avoid him at the moment. She realized how much she’d missed him. 

“You’re so lame,” she answered, accepting his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh lovely conflict
> 
> The ending song is "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Love is a Battlefield"  
> Part Two
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Just remember...You can't have a rainbow without a little (alot of) rain...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one week, I'm so proud~  
> ...Please don't hate me ^^;;

The dance lasted only a couple minutes, and after the song was over, Shiro said the words that Pidge had been so desperate to avoid.

“Can we talk?” 

She only nodded, and followed Shiro out of the dance room and into the courtyard. She knew it was bound to happen. He was her close friend, one that she’d always looked up to like a second brother. How was she to manage avoiding him for the rest of her life?

“Pidge, I...know you’ve been avoiding me,” Shiro revealed once the two of them were alone. 

Outside the venue, christmas lights decorated the patio, overlooking a large garden with several places for sitting. It was cold outside, however, which explained its vacancy. Pidge was grateful Shiro had offered his jacket to keep her warm, which looked quite large on her tiny frame, as if her body was drowning in it. 

“Did Lance..um, say anything?” Pidge knew Lance wouldn’t have. But, she didn’t know how else to respond. 

“He wouldn’t say.” Shiro shook his head. “Just that I should ask you myself.”

“Oh.” 

Suddenly Pidge was terrified. How was she going to tell him? How would she explain? Would he be mad that she also had feelings for Allura? Another thought crossed her mind. She realized that if he knew, it could potentially ruin his relationship with Allura for good. As much as Pidge hated seeing Allura with him, she would never wish for Shiro to suffer. Shiro deserved to be happy, even if it was with Allura...

A few moments of silence passed between the two of them before Shiro spoke again. 

“Pidge...I really care about you...I want you to answer me honestly. No matter what you say..I won’t be mad, okay?”

Pidge only nodded, and her eyes burned as she held back the tears that had already begun to form. Shiro released a breath he had been holding in. 

“Do you...have feelings for me?”

“I...What?”

Pidge’s mind spun in circles. Even though she should have seen it coming, it was not exactly the question she had expected to hear.

“You...I just thought...it’s the only explanation I could think of,” Shiro explained, now avoiding eye contact. 

Pidge thought hard for a moment. She wondered...if she went along with it maybe, just maybe, the situation wouldn’t end so terribly. It would be quite awkward at first, but it’d mean that she wouldn’t be putting his relationship with Allura at risk. It’d be awkward, but they’d get over it and Shiro could still be happy. That...at least, was the only possible good Pidge could see coming out of this entire mess. 

“Y-yes…” she replied awkwardly, also unable to make eye contact. Even though it was a complete lie, it still felt uncomfortable. 

“You...do?” 

Pidge nodded. “But..but I know you’re with Allura and I want you to be happy!” That part at least wasn’t a lie. “I...I was initially upset...but I’ve been getting over it so...so please don’t worry about my feelings. You mean so much to me, and I’d rather not lose you over this, uh...sorry if this feels awkward.”

Pidge finally looked up at Shiro, who was now gazing back at her. She couldn’t quite make out what kind of expression he wore. She expected him to appear relieved, even smiling maybe...But he looked...troubled. 

“Why...didn’t you tell me?” His brows furrowed, and his eyes became sad. 

“I...really, Shiro...don’t worry about it. It’s nothing, just a small crush really.” 

“It’s _nothing_? Really Pidge?” 

Pidge had no idea why Shiro was getting upset suddenly, but now she was nervous and hoped she hadn’t made the wrong decision by thinking lying would be a more convenient way out of the situation. 

“You said you wouldn’t get mad…” She worded cautiously. 

Shiro shut his eyes for a moment, seeming to compose himself. 

“Sorry. I’m not mad, Pidge...” he apologized. “It is..frustrating though.”

“I understand…” 

“No. You don’t. You really don’t, Pidge....And I’m certain the worst thing to do right now would be to tell you why.” 

Pidge frowned. “Shiro, you’re really confusing me.” 

He took a deep breath, and looked at Pidge with an intensity she hadn’t seen in him before. 

“Damn it, Pidge. I’ve liked you for years.”

Pidge wasn’t sure if she’d heard him correctly. But from the look on his face, she had. He meant it. And when she didn’t say anything, he continued. 

“But...I never expected you’d have feelings for me also…”

“Oh my God,” Pidge whispered. 

“I thought..it’d be wrong to ever do anything about my feelings. You’re Matt’s little sister..and I was older than you...still, I never thought you’d actually..”

“Oh my _God_ ,” she repeated. 

“I...like Allura though. So I can’t exactly, um, return your feelings,” Shiro continued. “It’s just...nevermind...I just..I want you to be happy...”

"Happy..huh?"

Pidge wanted to scream. This was _not_ how she’d planned it to be. And she couldn’t help but feel...mad. She was _so_ mad. At Shiro, at Allura, at herself…

“Why did you tell me this?” Her voice was shaking. She was trembling, and she knew it wasn’t just from the cold of the night. 

“Pidge-”

“Why the _fuck_ did you tell me this? Knowing fully well you wouldn’t be able to return my feelings? Knowing fully fucking well that I am _more_ than aware you like Allura?? What the fuck did you expect to get out of confronting me tonight?? What the actual fuck, Shiro, do you think telling me your feelings right now is going to do!?”

Pidge couldn’t believe what was coming out of her mouth, but she couldn’t stop. She’d just about reached her limit and her emotions were consuming her. 

He _has_ Allura...He fucking already _has_ her…

Shiro didn’t say anything. He only stared at his shivering friend incredulously. 

“Why...” Pidge stopped. She realized the tears were now flowing out of her. “I can’t fucking do this right now.”

\---

Despite what Pidge said, Lance couldn’t help it. He was jealous, although he blamed it on curiosity. He had been observing Justin for a good ten minutes now, watching as he spoke to a small group of sorority girls who were clearly fawning over him. Lance tried to hide his look of disgust and took another sip of the fruity beverage in his hand. He could already feel the buzz kicking in.

He wasn’t sure where Pidge went. One minute she was with dancing with Shiro, and the next minute they were both out of sight. And Hunk had apparently found a cute girl to chat up on the other side of the room. Lance wondered when Keith would get there. Then the awful thought of Justin approaching Keith filled his mind. He desperately wanted to know what Justin was to Keith..what kind of relationship they’d had…

Lance wanted to know every last detail, but at the same time he wanted to know absolutely nothing. Knowing would depress him, but ignorance would eat away at him. Not even twenty minutes since arriving to the event and he was already going mad. 

“Hey, Lance right?” 

Lance had been apparently too lost in his train of thoughts to notice the tall blonde approaching him. He cursed internally and reminded himself to remain civil. 

“Yeah.” Lance nodded. 

“How are you enjoying the party?” Justin joined Lance’s side and leaned against the wall. It only made Lance realize how much taller and broader Justin was, and Lance felt his self-esteem decline in his presence. 

“It’s alright,” Lance answered with a shrug. 

“Why are you over here all alone? Girlfriend ditched ya?” Justin questioned playfully. 

“Girlfriend?”

“I assumed you and Matt’s little sister were a thing, no?” Lance didn’t think he was being serious, but his tone was genuine. Lance laughed dryly. 

“Pidge? No way, dude. She’s like my little sister.”

“Ah, sorry,” Justin apologized. “You two just seem very close.”

“Well, we are...but not like that.” Lance was at least grateful Justin wasn’t asking about Keith instead. 

“I see...So no girlfriend then?” 

_No, but I would very much like to date your ex-boyfriend._

“Nope.” 

“Aw, why not? Surely there’s someone you’re interested in?” 

Lance had no idea where this was going. “Not really,” he lied.

“Hmm...I wonder why is it then, that you’ve been staring at me from across the room for the past fifteen minutes?” 

_Fuck._

Lance’s eyes widened and if there was ever a moment he wished to disappear, it was now. Lance knew what would come next. He knew Justin had picked up on his jealousy. He should have never questioned him about Keith. He should have never spied on him. Pidge was right. He should have just left it alone. 

“I...was not.” _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Pidge, help._

Justin laughed amusedly. “Lance, you’re cute, but I’m sorry to say you’re not really my type.” 

“Huh?” was really all that Lance could say. Did Justin just call him _cute_? And did he really think Lance had been staring at him that entire time because he was...checking him out? 

“Unless there’s a different reason you’ve been watching me?” He asked curiously. 

“Um, no...what _is_ your type then?” It was really all Lance could think of to say next. 

Justin nodded toward the entrance of the venue, and Lance’s eyes followed. There stood Keith, who had apparently just arrived. And of course, he looked Goddamn perfect. 

He wore a white button up shirt with black suspenders and matching black, slim-fitted pants. Rather than wearing a tie, the top few buttons of his blouse were left unbuttoned, exposing a smooth sliver of pale skin. It was incredibly simple, and incredibly sexy. Most of his hair had been pushed back, and Lance wondered if he’d ever actually seen Keith’s exposed forehead before. It was...cute.

“That,” Justin said with a grin that just pissed Lance off even more, snapping him out of his lust-filled gaze. He felt it difficult to breathe, as the confirmation that Justin still had feelings for Keith sunk in deep. Lance really, _really_ wanted to get out of there, before Keith noticed him. The last thing he wanted was to suffer through Justin and Keith’s happy reunion. But, of course, it was too late.

\---

Keith’s eyes met Lance’s almost immediately. He couldn’t help but blush at the sight of him. Lance looked so… _handsome_ , and suddenly Keith felt nervous. He quickly brought his hand to his pant pocket to make sure the Valentine’s gift he’d planned to give Lance was still there. It was, and his heart skipped. He was so giddy, and it was such a strange feeling. After a moment, however, that feeling became clouded as he recognized the tall figure next to Lance.

_Justin?_

The tall blonde waved at him, and Keith couldn’t help but notice the look of discomfort on Lance’s face. He wondered what in the world Justin was doing here. But above that, he wondered what in the world he was doing with Lance. As Keith walked over to them, a swirl of emotions came over him. 

“Justin..? What are you doing here?” Keith asked, bewildered.

“Keith!” Justin pulled him into a big hug. “I’m back.” 

Keith stiffened at the contact, but politely returned the hug nonetheless. His body was warm, and Keith could feel the hard muscle through the tall blonde’s shirt. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t at least missed Justin’s hugs. 

“What do you mean you’re back?” he asked once he was out of Justin’s tight embrace. 

“Decided to take the semester off...Melanie’s in the sorority here and she invited me tonight.” His smile was bright, and Keith tried to ignore the dull pain in his chest. 

“Wow...well, welcome back.” Keith tried to return a smile, hoping he didn’t appear as awkward as he felt. His eyes met Lance’s once more. “Uh..it seems you and Lance have already met.” 

“Yes, we were actually having a nice chat just before you arrived. Weren’t we Lance?” 

“Yeah..” Lance wasn’t very convincing. 

“Oh. About what?” Keith wasn’t sure what they were talking about, but it was obvious Lance wasn’t his usual talkative self. He wondered if he’d learned about his past with Justin…

“Funny thing, actually,” Justin chuckled. “I’m fairly certain Lance has been checking me out for the past ten, if not fifteen minutes. Just watching me from across the room, really. Kinda cute, don’t you think?” Justin placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder, and Keith felt his gut twist and ignite as if it were on fire. 

He despised the fact that Justin was touching Lance so… _casually_. And he couldn’t stand to believe that Lance had actually been…

“What?” Keith directed at Lance. “Is that true?” 

“No...it wasn’t like that...I-” 

“So you _weren’t_ staring at me that entire time? You don’t have to lie, Lance. I _am_ rather dashing, aren’t I?” Justin teased, making a move further and bringing his arm completely around Lance’s shoulders. 

“Justin…” Keith sighed. “Leave Lance alone. He doesn’t seem interested,” he warned, probably a tad over-protective. Keith wasn’t sure what to believe, but he knew Justin too well. 

Justin laughed and removed his arm from Lance. “Oh Keith, I was only playing around. Sorry Lance, didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he apologized. 

Lance only nodded, wearing a perplexed expression. 

“Come on, let’s all grab a drink together, shall we?” Justin offered. 

“Uh, you two go ahead,” Lance declined. “I’m going to head to the restroom.” 

Keith nodded as Lance excused himself, and even though he hadn’t been at the event for more than ten minutes, Keith already wanted leave.

\---

Lance hoped his bathroom excuse wasn’t too obvious, but then again he didn’t give damn. Why should he? He had just endured an incredibly awkward situation, and he needed any excuse to escape. Justin had at least seemed like a nice fellow when Shiro was around...but holy hell...What the _fuck_ just happened?

Lance’s mind ran in circles. Justin made it apparent he’s still interested in Keith...but what was his motive in teasing Lance? To make Keith jealous? Lance didn’t know, but what he did know was Keith seemed pretty happy to see Justin too. He couldn’t help but notice the smile on Keith’s face as he noticed Justin waving back at him. And he also couldn’t help but notice how particularly long the hug between Keith and Justin lingered. Jealousy burned in Lance and he was suddenly surprised he was able to hold himself together that long. 

All he wanted to do was leave, and forget about his plans to woo Keith, which now seemed incredibly dumb. He was certain Justin and Keith would drink, laugh, and dance the night away, reminiscing about their past...Leaving seemed like a fucking _fantastic_ idea. 

But then he noticed a certain red-headed girl in pink run past him and into the ladies room, visibly upset. Lance’s heart sunk. 

“Pidge?” He questioned aloud, not bothering to care that he’d just entered the girl’s bathroom. Only one other girl was present, stationed in front of a mirror fixing her makeup. She glared at Lance, but he didn’t care and ran to the source of the crying. 

“Pidge, it’s me. Please come out.” He stood outside the only closed stall, where her sobs echoed from. 

The stall door opened slowly, revealing his precious friend. Her cheeks were stained black from her makeup-filled tears, and her nose was quite red. Without another word, Lance pulled her into his arms, cupping the back of her head of curls with his hand. He didn’t care about the stains she’d leave in his shirt, and pulled her close to his chest.

“Pidge,” he whispered. “What happened?”

It took her several moments to calm herself enough to speak. 

“I-I lied to Sh-shiro,” she spoke through soft sobs and sniffles. 

“What do you mean?” Lance asked, still holding her. 

“I t-told him the reason I’d been a-avoiding him was because I-I liked him...be-because I couldn’t..I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about Allura..”

“Oh Pidge..” Lance held her even tighter. 

“I-I just thought it would make th-things easier for him...I thought I c-could get over her soon enough and I th-thought..I thought he could just be h-happy with her and not know the truth..b-but...”

Lance sighed. “What did he say?” He was afraid to know. 

“He...he likes me.”

“ _What_?” 

“He said he...he’s liked m-me for years..”

Lance was speechless. And, all he could do was let Pidge continue, stroking the back of her head in attempt to calm her. 

“But...I fucked up. I j-just blew up. I really _really_ fucking blew up, Lance. I...I fucked everything up...w-why couldn’t I just tell him the truth…?”

Her voice was nothing more than a whisper at this point, and even though Lance didn’t understand the entire situation, he knew Pidge. 

“Because you care about him.” 

Pidge’s sobs grew louder at Lance’s words. 

“Don’t...don’t blame yourself, Pidge. This isn’t your fault..alright?”

She nodded, no longer trying to conceal her cries. Lance let her cry everything out, and continued to just hold her. About ten minutes later, she seemed to have calmed enough. 

Lance brought Pidge back and gently placed his hands upon each side of her face, until she was looking directly at him. 

“Better?”

“A bit,” she admitted, bringing his arms down from her face. She rubbed beneath her eyes, wiping away what remained of her makeup. 

“Tonight is shit. Let’s just go home, okay?” 

“What?” Pidge seemed confused. “What happened with Keith?”

“His ex.” Lance really didn’t want to go into detail, and Pidge seemed to understand as she didn’t press the matter further. 

“I… actually don’t want to go home yet,” she admitted. “I’d probably just feel depressed and cry the rest of the night.”

“What do you want to do then?” 

A slight grin tugged at the corner of Pidge’s mouth. 

“Can we just...get fucked up and sing karaoke?”

Lance smiled for the first time that night. 

“That is the most brilliant idea you’ve ever had.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prayers for Pidge <3


End file.
